When Dream Comes True
by Izumi Orimoto
Summary: Zoe found this magic item that will help her find her soulmate who keep the other one of this item.But Zoe already have someone she loved for so long.Even though she knew she was destined to have this item.(love between Zoe,Kouji,Kouichi,Takuya)R+R
1. Trouble with the rebel

Hey People! I hope you'll love my story, it's about Zoe falling in love with three guys and have really romantic moments together. Who are the three guys? Well I can't tell you yet. But you guys can figure it out anyways. Enjoy the story!!!!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.:  
  
Okay, this is my very first day of work in this restaurant called "Moi Bijou". So why am I not nervous at all? I mean, if I didn't do well , I might get fire by my new boss Mrs.Rosemarry immediately .I think. But Mrs. Rosmarry was so nice to everyone who has worked for her, and she always treated them like part of her family. So I guess, I don't have to worry about anything!  
I really loved this restaurant; it's a very beautiful and romantic place for love couples. Oh talk about love, I just remembered something, today I've checked my astrology sign fortune, it said that today I'll find a warm feeling towards this guy who will rescue me when I'm in danger. But then again, how could I be in danger today?  
  
Normal P.O.V.  
  
As Zoe entered the restaurant for her first day of work, an attractive brown pony tail girl walked up to her.  
  
"Hello! You must be Zoe Orimoto. Nice to meet you. My name is Christina, but people here called me Chris, so feel free to call me Chris too for you are now part of our family!" She said with a sweet smile.  
  
"It's nice to meet you Chris." Said Zoe and then Zoe shook Chris' hand.  
  
"Hey Zoe, do you want to hear a story about our restaurant?" Chris asked.  
  
"Sure, what is it?" Zoe said curiously.  
  
"Well, long time ago, Mrs. Rosemarry's great-great-great grand mother Laura Bailey fell in love with this man called Travis McConner but he realized that Laura's family won't let Travis marry their daughter because Laura's family is rich and Travis' family was just plain folks. Just because Laura's family won't agree with their marriage that doesn't stopped their love for each other. They have promised each other that no matter what happens in the future, they will always love each other, nothing I this world can stop them. So they decided to flee away and go somewhere that can give them happiness. Unfortunately, Laura's mother heard the news and secretly sent someone to murder Travis hopefully Laura will forget about him. That person really did killed Travis and when Laura heard the new, she started to cry uncontrollably. But she knew that tears won't bring back Travis to her so she decided to forget about Travis. She remembered that Travis gave her a pair of hair clip with a diamond on it and then she threw one of the hair clip deep into the sea and when she wants to throw the other one into the sea, she just couldn't do it. She knew that the felling she has for Travis was still lived inside of her heart. So she decided to hide the other hair clip inside of this restaurant that is owned by her family for generations which is our restaurant today. She said that the hair clips have this magic that can find your true love. She said that whoever finds Laura's hairclip inside this restaurant will be destined to find his or her soul mate who kept the other one of Laura's hairclip. It's been 20 years but no one have ever found Laura's hair clip. Not ever me!"  
  
"Wow! So do you think I'll find it?" Zoe asked.  
  
"Well, it really depends if you are destined to find the hairclip or not." Chris answered.  
  
"Well I'll try my very best to find it!" Zoe said proudly.  
  
Chris chuckled a bit then said: "All right, all right, can we just start working now? The costumers are starving now!"  
  
While Zoe and Chris were serving the food, there were five rich boys just arrived in the restaurant.  
  
"Welcome. How may I help you?" One of the waiters in the restaurant asked.  
  
Takuya ignored him and continued with his grunting. He sure is having a bad day.  
  
"I'll have a beef steak and spaghetti." Kouichi demanded.  
  
"I'll have a Brunswick soup." Harlen said.  
  
"And I'll have a chicken cedar salad and chocolate cake." Micheal demanded.  
  
"I'm kind of full today so I'll just have a chicken soup." Kouji demanded.  
  
"What about you, Takuya?" Kouichi asked.  
  
"I'm not hungry!" Takuya replied with a grumpy voice.  
  
"What's wrong with Takuya today?" Michael asked.  
  
"You don't want to know." Harlen answered.  
  
Zoe walked out of the kitchen with a plate of blueberry pie. As she walked closer to Kouji and the others' table, she accidentally stepped on a banana peel that was on the ground. Then she tripped and fell on the solid concrete floor. But that wasn't the worse part, the worse part was that the blueberry pie flew into the thin air and landed on Takuya's face!  
  
"Hey! Who threw the pie at me?" Takuya shouted through his clenched teeth.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Zoe exclaimed.  
  
"What did you do that for blondie?" Takuya shouted with the highest volume of his voice.  
  
Zoe was frightened by Takuya's loud volume. She gulped and said: "I-I-It was j-j-j-just an a-a-a-accident." Her body now was shaking like earthquake.  
  
"Are you blind or something? How you could accidentally threw the pie on me? Man you must be pretty pathetic to do such a thing!" Takuya blurted out without even thinking that it might hurt Zoe's sensitive feelings.  
  
Zoe was now very angry; she can feel the hot, bitter bile rise in her throat. Her soft side became weaker and her hard side became stronger. She picked up a glass of milk from someone's table and splashed on Takuya's face. "That's a little drink for you after you have your pie for dessert!" Zoe growled. She can't believe that she was actually doing this but she couldn't stop herself.  
  
Takuya was about to explode now. He can no longer control his anger. He clenched his fist and was about to hit Zoe but then he felt Kouji's hand grabbed his arm.  
  
"Stop it Takuya! I won't let you hurt her!" Kouji said with a sullen voice.  
  
"But Kouji, she started it! And you know that I'm not in a good mood today!" Takuya complained.  
  
Kouji ignored what Takuya was saying and then he turned to face Zoe.  
  
"Hey are you okay Miss? I'm sorry about my friend; he's just having a bad mood today." Kouji said with his soft voice. Then he flashed a bright smile to her.  
  
Zoe wasn't paying attention to what Kouji was saying. She was just paying attention to his dreamy blue eyes that make her heart pounding uncontrollably. His soft and gentle voice is melting her heart.  
  
Could he be the guy that I'll find a warm feeling for? Zoe thought.  
  
"Hey blondie, don't think you can get away like this!" Takuya smirked.  
  
Zoe was so mad. But she doesn't have the strength to fight back anymore because of Kouji. Then she just ran away.  
  
"What was that for?" Takuya was confused.  
  
"You can never understand a girl's heart." Kouichi said.  
  
Zoe was in the garden. Hot tears suddenly dripping down from her eyes.  
  
"Life is so unfair!" Zoe cried.  
  
All of a sudden the sun pecked through from the thick layer of cloud and shined directly at the garden making Zoe can barely open her eyes. She managed to force her eyelid open. Then she saw this light that was even brighter than the sunlight got buried in the dark rich soil. Her curiosity made her dig through the soil. What she saw made her gasp.  
  
"It's the hairclip!" Zoe whispered to her self.  
  
Kouji's POV  
  
What's going on with me? Why do I start to have this special feeling towards this girl that I just met? When I saw her for the first time, I just couldn't keep my eyes off of her. She is so pretty! Ah! What am I thinking! But she really gave me this feeling that no other girls in the world can give me. Not even Cecilia (You'll find out who she is soon). Right now I just want to see this girl again.  
  
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So what do you think about my very first chapter. Please send reviews to me pppplllleeeeaaaasssseeee!!!! And please tell me how u feels about the story. And tell me if I should continue with my story or not.  
  
" 


	2. love problems

Chapter 2  
  
Hello again, in this chapter you'll find out who Cecilia is and why Takuya was in a bad mood at the restaurant and what happen to Zoe afterwards. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kouji's POV  
  
Few days ago:  
  
"Young master, Miss Camara is on the phone." My butler told me.  
  
"It's Cecilia!" I thought with excitement. I quickly ran and picked up the phone.  
  
"Cecilia, is that you? I missed you a lot! When are you going to come back? I've been thinking about you since the day you went to Panama!" I blurted out as quickly as I can. Buy I didn't heard Cecilia's voice, instead I heard my father's voice.  
  
"Kouji, don't tell me you forgot your own father. I'm not your girlfriend Cecilia, I'm your father." My father snickered.  
  
I blushed a little and then I heard my butler and my maid servants are now giggling. I turned to face them and give them an annoyed look.  
  
"Very funny you guys, don't think I won't fire you guys." I told them with a sullen look. But they don't really care because they knew that I would never do such a thing to them.  
  
I turned my attention back to my father who was now teasing me about Cecilia. Yah,yah, you guessed it, my whole family including my butler and servants loved to tease me about the relationship I have with Cecilia. Actually we're not couples at all. Eventhough we both knew that we have a crush on each other, we never admit it to each other. I love Cecilia with all my heart, and I know Cecilia felt the same way too. But ever since she went to Panama for a family vacation, my guts kept telling me that I might find a new love while Cecilia is away, but I never trusted my guts before.  
  
Takuya's POV  
  
2 HOURS AGO BEFORE THE FIGHT.  
  
I brought a bouquet of roses for my girlfriend Amelia. Eventhough today is not her birthday or something, I just want to make her happy. I loved her with my soul, and I'll never let anyone steal her away from me. Her jet black long hair and her bright personality is what really make her attracted to me like magnet.  
I stepped up to the door and rang the door bell. I hope she'll be surprised to see me. Few seconds later, she came out from the door. Yep, she was surprised, but not in a good way.  
  
"Um, hi Takuya. Why didn't you tell me that you are coming?" She asked me nervously.  
  
"I wanted to surprise you!" I replied back. As I stepped forward to enter the house, but she blocked me.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked.  
  
"Um, nothing." She replied back nervously.  
  
I knew there was something suspicious about this.  
  
"Come on what's wrong?" I asked.  
  
Amelia was silence for a moment. Then I saw a man behind her. I was totally shocked. He walked towards Amelia and used his hands to wrap around Amelia's slender waist. My eyes were widened as big as a golf ball  
  
"Because she's with me now!" The man said.  
  
I felt the tears are now trickling down from my eyes.  
  
"You never understand what I really need. You don't understand me. You don't care about. You never knew how I felt before. Unlike Josh." Amelia replied with a wicked smile. Then the man bended down and kissed Amelia's forehead.  
  
"You're useless!" Josh said to Takuya.  
  
I don't know what to do right now. I don't have the strength to fight back, my body became weaker and weaker. Suddenly, I dropped the bouquet on the ground and then I turned around and ran as fast as I can.  
  
Back in the restaurant.  
  
Zoe wanted to tell Chris about the hairclip that she just found. But then again, she wanted to keep it as a secret. She stuffed the hairclip in her pocket so she won't loose it.  
  
Hmm, I wonder, who's going to be the guy who kept the other one of Laura's hairclip? Could it be that guy that I just met before? Hmmm, maybe.  
  
"Did you see something in the garden few minutes ago? It was glowing brighter than the sunlight!" A girl in the back startled Zoe's attention.  
  
"maybe it's just some kind of metal" Zeo said. Trying to make her to believe it.  
  
"But my guts tells me that it is the hairclip!" the girl replied with confidence. She pulled out a orange hair band from her pocket and tide her long wavy fiery red hair into a ponytail.  
  
"And I'm going to find it!" She said, then she went into the garden .  
  
"Oh my! Is that girl is over confidence or what!" I murmured to myself.  
  
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Well that wasn't very interesting isn't it. You are probably wondering why do I have to mention Cecilia and Amelia in the story, well you'll find out very soon he he he he because they'll be kind of important to the story soon! And don't miss the next chapter because there'll be lots of romantic moments between Kouji and Zoe (wink wink) and lots more fights between Takuya and Zoe how will those two ever become friends? 


	3. Kiss can be an accident

So how's it going? I've been working on my story lately and I have to listen to my friend talking about how cute their boyfriends are 24 hours a day 7 days a week! I never thought I have to go through all this for my story. Well you see, I got all my romance idea from watching my friends and cousins. Me? I don't have a boyfriend yet because I think I'm not ready to take on love yet. I don't want to cry if I broke up with my boyfriend and I want true love not just those silly love letter or candy gram to show how much he loves me so I think I'll have one when I think I've found the right person. Which it's not now because I'm not interested in anyone in my school. Sorry not my type.All I want to tell you is that this chapter is all about LOVE ! And someone seems to have embarrass time with love (blondie wink wink(). So read it and PLEASE comments! Your comments is the power for me to write better story!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Kouji's P.O.V.:  
  
After talking to Cecilia on the phone, I put the phone back to the cardle. Then I went back to my room and locked the door.  
  
"Yes!" I shouted with excitement. "Cecilia is coming back tomorrow!"  
  
Zoe's P.O.V. :  
  
All right! School is starting tomorrow and I can't wait! It's going to be my very first day as a freshman in the Harvard University! But I wonder who's going to be my roommate? Hope it's someone that I can get along with. Hmm, you know something, I have a very strong feeling that I might see the guy who saved me from his crazy friend in the University tomorrow! I hope that it's true! Oh no! It's 10:00 PM already! I haven't even finish packing my suitcase yet! Well, got to go! Bye!  
  
Normal POV:  
  
The teachers are now taking the girls to a building that's where their rooms are.  
  
"All right girls, listen up." The teacher said. "I'm going to assign you to share a bedroom with someone else randomly. Here are the list. Zoe Orimoto, you're going to be with Marilin Tanya…"  
  
Zoe was surprised to find out that she's sharing a room with the girl who have long wavy firely red hair who's working in the same restaurant as she does.  
  
"Oh no!" Zoe thought, "She's going to find out about my hairclip!"  
  
"Hey Zoe what a coincident, not only we work in the same restarurant, we're now having the same room!" Marlin greeted Zoe with a smile.  
  
Luch Time…  
  
The three boys except Kouji and Harlen are now in the cafetaria. Kouichi and Micheal are sitting at a table and having their conversatioin while Takuya was lining up to get his lunch.  
  
"So where's Kouji and Harlen today?" Micheal asked.  
  
"Harlen is going to the near by convienience store. And Kouji is obviously going somewhere with Cecilia to catch up some times together." Kouich answered.  
  
Meanwhile, Zoe was lining up to get her lunch. Both Takuya and Zoe spotted the last plated of chocolated cake on the counter. Then they both reached out their hands to grab the plated of chocolated cake at the same time. When they saw each other's hand, they looked up to see who's that person. They were totally shocked to see each other.  
  
"You again!" Both of them said it at the same time.  
  
"Hand it over!" Takuya commanded. Then he used his two hands to pull the plate toward his side.  
  
"Well lady's first!" Zoe argued back. Then she pulled the cake back to her side.  
  
"You're not a lady, you are a monster!" Takuya replied back. Now they kept on pulling the plate towards their sides. None of them refused to give up.  
  
"Give it to me, blondie!"  
  
"Make me goggle head!"  
  
"Don't think just because you're a girl that doesn't mean I won't hit you!"  
  
"We'll see who's going to be in trouble!"  
  
All of a sudden, Michael walked up to them and took the slice of cake out of the plate and stuffed it in his mouth.  
  
"Hey! What did you do that for!" Both Takuaya and Zoe shouted at Michael at the same time.  
  
"Hey don't copy what I said!" Takuya turned to Zoe.  
  
"Who's copying you!" Zoe protested.  
  
"You're such a liar blondie!" Takuay teased.  
  
"Stop calling me blondie!" Zoe yelled.  
  
"Make me!" Takuya shouted.  
  
Kouichi had enough of this argument at once. He knew he have to do something about this situaton.So he quickly ran up to them and stand between them.  
  
"All right you guys, I'm so fed up with this, can you guys just stop it!" Kouichi said.  
  
"Not if he stop bothering me!" Zoe argued back.  
  
"You're the one who started it blondie." Takuay said.  
  
"Stop calling me blondie!" Zoe shouted. This time she is really mad. This was supposed to be a happy day because it's her first day in here. Now it's all ruined because of Takuya. Then without thinking, Zoe grabbed a bottle of spray can that contains whip creams in it. She shaked the bottle a bit then she spray it at Takuya's direction hopefully Takuya will get the whip cream. But Zoe missed Takuya. Instead, Kouichi was the one who got whip cream all over his face.  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry!" Zoe apoligized to Kouichi. Then she grabbed Kouichi's elbow and pulled him to a place that is 30 cm near the cafetaria wall where the napkins are. She took some napkin and started helping Kouichi whiping the whip cream off his face. The gaps between Zoe and Kouichi's body was only 5cm away. Kouichi felt totally uncomfortable about it. His face was now redder than a tomatoe.  
  
All of a sudden, Harlen came back from the store.  
  
"Hey Kouichi!" He greeted. Without noticing, Harlen gave Kouichi a hard push on the back and Kouichi felt onto Zoe and Zoe immediately leaned against the wall for support. Then Kouichi grabbed onto two sides of Zoe's shoulders for support. Kouichi's extra weight made Zoe lose her balance and cause her back to slide down from the solid wall to the ground and it also cause Kouichi fell down with her.The shifting forces pushed Kouichi's body towards Zoe's body and their lips accidently touched each other. Now both of them are blushing really badly. The next thing they knew, they were silently looking at each other without moving a single muscle. They're now speechless.  
  
Takuya was laughing uncontrolably. Zoe broke the eye contact with Kouichi and quickly, she ran up to Takuya and slapped him. Then she ran away. Takuya's laughter turned into anger, he pulled out a cell phone from his pocket. He dialed his mansion's phone number. He waited for two seconds and his butler picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?" His butler answered the phone.  
  
"Go to the pet shop nearby and bring me 20 bull dogs and bring them to me before the end of the day!" Takuya commanded  
  
"Yes young master."  
  
"Hey Harlen,remember when we're five years old, you told me that you're a cupid and I didn't believe you that time, now I'm kind of believe you!" Michael teased Harlen. Harlen in the other hand felt embarassed about it.  
  
"Whoa! I'm so sorry Kouichi, I didn't mean to push you, it's just that I didn't see that girl was beside you!" Harlen apologized.  
  
Kouichi didn't hear a single word of what Harlen had just said. He was now standing there without moving like he was paralized or something. His body temperature was rising to his cheek making it redder and redder every seconds.  
  
Kouji's POV.  
  
Cecilia and I are now having great times together. But why am I kept on thinking about that blond hair girl that I met few days ago?  
  
When School ended:  
  
Zoe opened her locker to put the big heavy text book away and all of a sudden, she heard some barking noises form distance but she knew it was not her business.  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Takuay brought the dogs to the hallway, he knew the principle won't mind.Because the principle's younger brother is Takuya's butler.If the principle made Takuya get into detention or something, Takuya will fire his younger brother.  
  
"All right boys, listen up!" Takuya ordered the dogs who seems to understand what he was saying. "I want you to go and chase after this girl." Then he showed the picture of Zoe to the dogs. The dogs nodded and started to look for her.  
  
Meanwhile…  
  
Zoe locked the locker door after she put away her text books. As she was about to turn around and go back to her room, she was shocked to see 20 bull dogs was in the hallway running towards her. She have no other choices but to run. Those big, round, furious eyes and those big sharp pointy teeth made them look so scary. Zoe was screaming as loud as she can but no one came and help her. Zoe was now screaming and crying at the same time. She knew this must be all Takuya's idea becaue he wanted to take revenge from her again. Then she randomly picked a door and went in there. She was shocked to see Kouji was in there.  
  
Kouji was sitting on a chair and he was playing his piano. He didn't notice Zoe was there until Zoe gave the door a hard slam shut. Kouji looked up and was surprised to see Zoe. Kouji doesn't know if he's suppose to be happy right now or sad right now. His wish did came true, he did meet Zoe again.  
  
"I'm so sorry to bother you right now, but I think your friend sent some dogs to chase after me. So can I stay here until the dogs are gone?" Zoe asked.  
  
"Eh-h, sure." Kouji replied back nervously. He doesn't know what to do, his heart are skipping very fast. His fingures are now shaking uncontrollably. He just don't understand why he feel so nervous when he's around her. It was like someone casted a spell on him or something. As he flipped over the page, he accidently cut his finger from the sharp edge. Zoe quickly ran up to him to ask if he's okay. Then she took out a bandage and gently lifted up Kouji's hand and helped him wrapped the bandage around his finger.As Zoe's soft index finger touched Kouji's hand, Kouji sensed that his blood pressure inside of his hand went crazy making his cheek heating like oven and his head feeling a bit dizzy, he doesn't know what to do. His whole body was frozen. He doesn't have a single clue what can he say next.  
  
Zoe's POV:  
  
I can tell that he's nervous right now. Does he have a thing for me? Good thing he didn't see what happened at the cafetaria today! That guy kissed me in front of the public!Even though I knew it was all just an accident How am I ever going to face him tomorrow! Do I have to wear a disguise tomorrow? But that's pathetic! Why can't I just go and tell him that there's nothing between us, or is there is something between us? NO!  
  
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Well that's it for now! If you want to know what happpen to Zoe's relationship between Kouji and Kouichi, toon in next time. And one more thing, I'll reveal Kouichi's big secret out and just to tell you right now, the next chapter is going to a triangular love relationship between Zoe, Koiji and Kouichi, it's going to be exciting!!!! Don't forget to send me a review because I don't think I'm going to update the next chapter if I don't receive at least 20 comments in my review section so please review!!!! 


	4. Am I in love?

Hey you guys!Bet you're waiting for this chapter to come isn't it? Well it's here and just to tell you,this chapter will makes you understand more about the feeling of love! What?don't believe me? Check it out yourself! And I wanted to tell you, as one of the writter of this web site,I really love it when you guys send comments to me. I felt so happy and proud,you guys helped me more than you know it.Because without your support, I won't have the courage to continue my story thanks! You guys are the best!!!!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Takuya's P.O.V.:  
I know that I'm a bit too harsh on that blondie,but after what happen to me few days ago with Amelia, my heart suddenly went harden up. I felt that I'm too weak! Before, I was so nice to everyone, now after Amelia dumped me, I felt the only way to prevent this tradgedy to happen again is to be strong.So that's how I became a big insane bully. I don't really want to do this, but I have no choices. Eventhough I'm feeling sorry for that blond head girl.  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.:  
Okay Kouichi, just take a DEEP breathe and CALM yourself down a little. NO I CAN'T CALM DOWN NOW, I JUST KISSED A GIRL THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW!Okay this might sound crazy, but before I met her, I don't know what's love. I mean, I was like a guy born without the LOVE GENE. I tried everything, I tried to watch Romeo and Juliet, Titanic,Gone with the wind….all the romance movie in the world! I still don't know it,I can't even feel it. I never told my friends before NEVER. But all that was changed when I met her. That KISS ws like some kind of magic that just unlocked the spell! The tense feeling of love came to me l-like "The Frog Prince"a kiss from the princess unlocked the spell. LOVE i-is s-s-so AMAZING!You know something ,guys usually think love is dorky, but deep inside their heart, guys need love as much as girls does.(Just a little acvice for girls to understand more about what guys are thinking)  
  
Kouji's P.O.V.:  
I finally got to know her name and she finally got to know mine. Her name is Zoe Orimoto. And we have fun time talking to each other. But the problem is, I'd always felt tongue-ties around her, but now she was easier to talk to than before. She listened closely to everything I said, and we really did seem to have a lot in common. Right now, I just can't take my eyes off the bandage that she gave me. The bandage look relly cute with those little princesses in it. It really reminds me of her. I really don't want to take it off but what if Takuya and the others find out! They'll tease me 24 hours a day and 7 days a week!But I decided that I won't take it off for now.  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.:  
Kouji's really sweet. I don't know why, but he look so cute when he's nervous. We have a lot of fun talking to each other today and I've realized that we have a lot in common. But one thing is that I'm not sure of I like him or not. He sure is cute, but maybe I need some more times to decide if I should like him or not. You know something, if it's not for that goggle head guy, I won't even get a chance to meet Kouji, so I think I should thank him for it.  
  
Normal P.O.V.:  
Kouichi was walking in the hallway to go to his class, then all of a sudden,he spotted Zoe. His heart started to beat faster than usual. He tried not to look at Zoe's direction hoping Zoe won't misunderstand him or something. But then Zoe walked up to him and gave him a smile.That smile made Kouichi blushed a little.  
  
"What is she up to?"Kouichi wondered.  
  
"Hi! My name is Zoe what's your name?" Zoe started to talk to Kouichi.  
  
"M-M-My name i-is Kouichi." He replied back nevously.  
  
"About yesterday,"Zoe paused for few second the continued "I know it's all just a misunderstand. So I won't mind it at all.Let's just be friends okay?"  
  
"Um sure." Kouichi answered back with a little dissapoinment.  
  
"I got to go, bye!" Zoe said. After that, she walked away.  
  
" But I want us to be more than just a friend!" Kouichi whispered to himself.  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.:  
One sheep jumped over the fence, two sheep jumped over the fence. This isn't working. Instead of feeling sleepy, I found myself wondering why the singular of "sheep" was the same as the plural. For that matter, I wasn't convinced that sheep could jump over a fence. I had gotten home 6 hours ago , but I still couldn't fall asleep. Eventhough I have turned off all the lights in the mansion, I could still make out almost everything in my bedroom. Moonlight streamed in through my sliding glass window, casting crazy shadows over the table , lamps and chairs. Okay great! I can't sleep is not because I'm thinking about sheep, it's because I'm still thinking about Zoe! I tried to shift on the bed to try to find a more confortable position. But it won't work. How can I go to sleep when my head is only full of ZOE ,ZOE, and more ZOE and about what she just said to me today. I felt a bit dissapointed. I guess I sort of have a thing for her. I guess it's because she's the one who made me realized what is LOVE. So I sort of gave her my first impression on girls. But something's telling me that she'll refuse to LOVE ME.  
  
Normal P.O.V.:  
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. Kouji took his dog Maxwell for a walk in the park and then he decided to teach Maxwell some tricks.  
  
Kouji held up a stick that he just found on the ground and showed it to Maxwell.  
  
"All right Maxwell, I want you to bring me back this stick when I throw it over there okay?" Kouji tried to talk to Maxwell. But Maxwell ignored his master's command. So Kouji pulled out a bone-shape dog snack out from a bag.  
  
"Hey Maxwell,look what I've got for you!"Kouji said.This time, Kouji got Maxwell's attention but Maxwell was still refused to do the trick. Instead, he crawed over Kouji and tried to reach the treat that was held up high in the air by Koiji's arm.  
  
"Just do the trick and I'll give you the treat!"Kouji reasured Maxwell. Maxwell didn't listen to Kouji.Instead He got another idea of how to get the treat.He stand up on two feet and used his paws to push Kouji down to the grass. Then he grabbed the treat from Kouji and ate it.  
  
" Ah, come on Maxwell don't be like that!"Kouji said with dissapoitment. His body was now rested on the ground. When he got up from the ground, he saw Zoe who was standing in front of him. She was gigiling.  
  
"Oh no! did she really saw that? How embarassing!" Kouji thought.  
  
"Having troubles teaching your dog?" Zoe asked.  
  
"Kind of." He replied back.  
  
"I think I've got an idea."Zoe said. Then she pulled out her long velvet ribbon that was tied onto her hair. After that, she grabbed the stick and the treat and tied it up with her ribbon.  
  
"Oh Maxwell!"Zoe said. When she got Maxwell's attention, she threw the whole thing and it landed on the other side of the park.This time, Maxwell was running over there to get the stick.  
  
"Nice job Maxwell!" Zoe cheered the canine.Then she turned to face Kouji "See, you can use this way to teach him tricks."  
  
Then they spent the whole afternoon playing with Maxwell.  
  
Zoe suddenly remembered something important and then she stoppped playing with Maxwell and Kouji and Looked at her watch. " Oh no!" she exclaimed with a sad look on her face. " I'm totally late!".  
  
Kouji walked over and asked "What's wrong?"  
  
"I was supposed to meet Chris at the movie theatre a hour ago!" She replied.  
  
Kouji was totally shocked. He thought that Chris was Zoe's boyfriend.  
  
"Um, so is Chris your boyfriend?" Kouji asked with jealousy hoping Zoe will say no.  
  
"No of course not silly! Chris' full name is Christina and I'm her friend!" Zoe answered and was amused by the way Kouji reacted to this.  
  
Kouji now was reliefed.  
  
Then all of a sudden, Maxwell running towards Zoe from the back and pushed Zoe. It caused Zoe to fell onto Kouji's chest.They felt that their lips are now close to each other.Before Zoe knew it,Kouji put his arm around Zoe's waist and then he pulled Zoe towards him.Kouji drew his lips closer to Zoe than before. At this moment,they can feel the time suddenly stopped. They can feel each other's heart thumping with all their mights. This feeling was like magic.Zoe felt the intense feeling rushing through her head making her about to faint. So she wrapped Kouji's neck with her two arms for supports. As their lips are about to touch each other,an image of Kouichi flashed into her mind making Zoe snapped back to reality. She let go of her arm from Kouji's neck . Then turned around.  
  
" I-I've g-g-got to go." Zoe said nervously.Her face are now all red. After she finished her speech. She started to walk away. All of a sudden, Kouji grabbed one of Zoe's hand before Zoe can walk any further. Zoe's heart skipped a beat,then she turned around to face Kouji again.  
  
"Zoe, I was wondering," he stopped for few seconds knowing that he's still grabbing onto Zoe's hand "That do you want to come to the music room if you're free so we can hang out together or do something together?" Kouji blurted out before his face can get any redder.  
  
Zoe though about it for few seconds and forced a smile to say yes.  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.:  
Okay listen up, I didn't want to kiss Kouji is not because I finally have something for Kouichi. Please! I beg you! Trust me!The reason why I don't want to kiss Kouji is because well, it's hard to say it. But after that "accident" kiss in the cafateria,I felt so unconfortable! That kiss was my very first kiss. Now thanks to Kouichi (Well it's not really his fault) , I'm afraid of kissing!Well I don't think you get it don't you? *Took a deep breathe*When I was a little girl, I always dream of someday I'll kiss the man of my dream and have romantic times together….yeah that sort of thing, hey it's normal, every girls think about things right? So here I am, kissing the guy of NOT my dream and worse of all, in the PUBLIC!This is like a nightmare!I felt so bad about kissing. Since that was my first kiss, I sort of gave kissing a very BAD impression. Now kissing someone was like an allergie to me because when ever I KISS anyone, Kouichi's face will pop into my head making me remember how that kiss was! I hate it! A lot!  
  
Kouji's P.O.V.;  
I tried to kiss her, but she refused it. Am I moving to fast? And why am I trying to kiss some other girl who I don't even hang out with when I already got Cecilia?The most beautiful, the most popular popular and the hottest girl in the city! She's PERFECT! I-I mean wonderful!I have a real bad crush on her since the first day I met her in kindergarden. I was so crazy over her that I finger painted her name everywhere in my mansion's wall1 Oviously I've got grounded for a month of no desserts, no watching T.V. ,and no hanging out with my friends. But those aren't important to me anymore because I've got Cecilia. I always dream of my future with her everyday! But here's a problem, Cecilia never gave me that magic feeling that Zoe gave me ever before!That magic feeling really gave me a though that Zoe was DESTINED to be with me. But that couldn't be true, it's just thaat I didn't spend too much time with Cecilia than brfore so that feeling I have for her started to fade. ' *~*A verse for you guys today that I've found in a poetry book that is sort of related to the story is "The kiss. A sweet discovery of oneself after a long search of love." *~* 


	5. My First Time In Kouji's Mansion

Hello! It's nice to see you again. I promise this chapter is going to blow you up with tons of KOZUMI!!!! Yeah!!!! And this chapter is all about Kouji and Zoe's little story. And I hope that all of you guys out there will like my story. Well enjoy your reading and please comments!!!!  
  
Normal P.O.V. (Lunch Time):  
  
The boys are now eating their lunch while having a little conversation. Michael was telling his friends about his date with his girlfriend Sally, everyone was paying close attention except Kouji, who is now paying attention to the bandage that Zoe gave him more Michael. As Kouji looked at the little princesses on the bandage, an eerie déjà vu came over him as he thought about what happen few days ago when he was about to lay his soft lips on Zoe but she refused and pulled herself away from it. Kouji knew there's a logical explaination for this, but then again, maybe Zoe thought that they're moving a bit too fast.  
  
" Then we went to this resturant where there're.." Michael stopped continuing as he spotted Kouji day dreaming about something, so he walked over to him and tried to clear his throat to get Kouji's attention. Kouji immediately snapped back to reality as he heard Michael clearing his throat.  
  
"What's wrong with you today?" Michael asked, Kouji can tell that Michael was concerned about this.  
  
"I.I.I didn't get enough sleeping last night," Kouji said with a slight shrug "I guess I'm just a little bit tire today, that's all.".  
  
Michael didn't believe a single thing that Kouji have just said. As he looked down, he saw a blue bandage with those little cartoon characters in it that was on Kouji's index finger.  
  
"And what is that on your finger?" Michael asked Kouji suspiciously, " It looks like some kind of girl's bandage!".  
  
"Uh-oh!"Kouji thought, he knew that he have to make up a reasonable excuse because everyone are now looking at him with doubtful expression. They knew he was up to something. He knew things were about to take an isane turn.  
  
"Come on Kouji spill it out already!" Kouichi said.  
  
"E-h-h, I cutted my finger few days ago so Cecilia gave me this bandage."He lied.  
  
"And you think we'll believe that a super model like Cecilia will keep these kind of bandage? I bet it's a girl in this building! Beside,Cecilia already left to Florida few days ago for her business trip!" Takuya said it with confidence in himself.  
  
"So you've got a girlfriend don't you? Who is she? We won't mind if you bring her here to hang out with us, but just remember not to make loud, wet kissy noises in front of us especially when we're eating!" Harlen teased. Now everyone was laughing except Kouji who is now blushing really badly. His temper was now inching towards the red zone.  
  
After School:  
  
Takuya and Kouji decided that they'll go to the video arcade after school,but when they were almost there, they bumped into Zoe who is now on her way to work. When Kouji and Zoe saw each other, they both started to blush a bit because they still remembered what happen in the park last Saturday. Takuya didn't know notice that they were blushing, but he sure was in a mood for making Zoe explode again.  
  
"So blondie,do you like those little puppies I've gave you few days ago?" Takuya teased with a smirk on his face.  
  
"No of course not, they're as ugly as you! " Zoe insisted.  
  
Then a rash of anger suddenly came over Takuya.  
  
"Watch what you're saying blondie, I swear I'll pound you hard! I can be quite insane sometimes you know!"Takuya trailed off. Withhout thinking, Takuya was about to run up to Zoe and was going to hit her, but Kouji stopped him by using his two arms to hook onto Takuya's two arms from the back..So Takuya can't harm Zoe.  
  
"Don't you think that you'll get into trouble if you try to harm me againin in school! That's an automatic detention!" Zoe said.  
  
Takuya immediately cooled down himself again after he heard what Zoe have just said. He smirkes a bit.  
  
"I don't have to worry about that point," Takuya said, Zoe were shocked of what she just heard, " The principal is my butler's older brother. If the principal put me into detention, I'll fire his little brother immediately. So he can't even help you and he can't even do a single thing about it. So basically, I'm the boss of Harvard!"  
  
"Well, I.I.I can.."Zoe was about to finish her sentence but was interupted by Takuya.  
  
"Can what? You can't do anything about this! My family is rich!And everyone know that money can get you anything in the whole world! Face it,you're nothing but a cheap low class piece of junk!"Takuya scolded.  
  
A dense haviness pressed against Zoe's chest. Somewhere under the layers of pain, her conscience told her not to listen to what Takuya have just said.But she couldn't do it. She felt like she was just like Titanic. Just when she thought her life was cruising along perfectly,BAM,an iceburg bearing uncanny resembleced to Takuya jolted her from her happy existence. Now she was simply treading water.  
  
"Why is he always ruined everything for me?"Zoe thought biterly "He's like my nightmare!".Her stomach turned just from looking at Takuya.  
  
Kouji felt pains started to grow inside of him as he saw Zoe was suffering from Takuya's threat. If he heard another word from Takuya humiliating Zoe again, he will literally run into the street, shouting the worst obscenities that he can think of.He can't Take this no more, he just doesn't know how to stop this. It's been bugging him for a long time.He can't bare to see Zoe getting hurt, but he doesn't want to fight with his best friend Takuya for a girl.He never have this kind of problem before.But as Kouji looked at Zoe's miserable expression,a new feeling despair tugged at his heart,but he made himself ignored it. He decided to protect Zoe even though he have to fight with Takuya.He casually wedged a shoulder between Zoe and Takuya and turned toward Takuya.  
  
"Leave her along!"Kouji trailed off with anger. "Zoe is not some piece of junk you think she is! What do you know about her?".  
  
"Kouji just stay out of this! She's not worth for you to care about. She's just a stupid, cheap waitress who works in that dumb old resturant!" Takuya blurted out.  
  
Zoe doesn't want to hear this anymore.She cover her ears with her hands, wishing her eardrums would spontaneously burst.She can't take this anymore.  
  
"STTTTTTOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!" She screamed at the top of her lung.  
  
Kouji and Takuya frozed and turned their attention to Zoe.  
  
Zoe approached to Takuya and slapped him.  
  
"What's your problem again!"Takuya shouted with annoyances.  
  
Zoe said nothing but kept on staring at Takuya madly.  
  
"To me, money isn't important at all! Okay fine, so money can get you anything,but there's one thing money can never buy. And that is the most important thing in the whole world,it is true feeling! Money can never get you true friendship or even true love! Money can't get you back the person who meant the most to you! Money can't get you happiness all the time!"Zoe blurted out.  
  
After Zoe finished her speech,Takuya's sharp feature suddenly went blured in her blue-green eyes.She quickly ran away before the tears in her eyes begin to drop out from her eyeballs.She can't let anyone sees her tears especially Takuya.  
  
Kouji gave Takuya a exasperated look. Then he ran after Zoe.  
  
Takuya felt a pang of regret as he mentally recited the words and watched his eyes cloud over.He knew that Zoe was right, money can't give him true love. That's what happen with Amelia, she didn't gave Takuya the true love that he have given to her. Amelia was only using him for his money the whole time.  
  
Zoe was now in a dark alley.She drew her head to her knees and wrapped it around with her arms.She was now crying uncontrollably.She just felt so depressed about Takuya's threat. No one in her life has insulted her this badly before.  
  
"Zoe?Are you okay?"a soft voice from the back startled her attention.When Zoe turn around, she saw Kouji standing behind her.  
  
Kouji decided to sit beside Zoe on the ground and comfort her to show his sympathy towards her. He patted Zoe on the back. He noticed that Zoe turned her face around so he moved his face into Zoe's line of vision.  
  
"Hey I know that Takuya never ever, ever meant to do that."Kouji said.He felt pathetic because too many ever made it sound so insincere.His speech was just too insufficient to convey his feeling for her.If only he could lay his hand on Zoe's forhead and transmit her thoughts and make him see everything she'd gone through lately.  
  
"Look Zoe,"Kouji began, raising his arms.Zoe felt an exhilarating rush of anticipation as she prepared to cuddle into them,but instead,he just simply set his hands on top of her shoulder. "You don't have to listen to what people said about you.You have to listen to your heart,you are a special person and I know you are.Everybody is special in their own way.Just because someone is rich and popular like Takuya that doesn't mean they're always right. We're human beings,we might look different on the outside but we're all the same in the inside."  
  
"I guess you're right."Zoe rplied, she felt better now.She whipped her tears and forced a smile on Kouji.  
  
Then Kouji held up Zoe's hands and drew them to his chest.Zoe's was a bit shocked but still managed to take it.  
  
"There're lots of things that I don't know, but there's one thing that I know,and that is you are a special girl."Kouji admitted.  
  
Zoe suddenly felt happy again even though she was blushing right now.  
  
"You know something,"Kouji began to talk again " Takuya weren't used to be like that, he used to be really kind."  
  
"But why is he being mean now?"Zoe asked,looking into Kouji's eyes.  
  
Before Kouji can tell her the truth,a cold breeze came down and chilled Zoe down to the spine giving her goosebumps.Zoe was now shivering,because she didn't wore any jackets. Kouji took off his jacket and gentlely placed it on Zoe's back. Zoe blushed again.  
  
"Here take my jacket,you must be really cold right now."Kouji said with his soft voice.  
  
'Thanks but aren't you cold?"Zoe asked.  
  
"It's okay,I'm not really cold.Oh I've got to go,Takuya is probably still waiting for me to go to the video arcade. Bye!"after saying goodbye, he walked away.  
  
Zoe watched Kouji as he walked away, then she gave her self a smile.  
  
Next day after school:  
  
Zoe carried Kouji's jacket and was now standing in front of the music room door.She knocked twice but no one came and open the door so she decided to go in.As she shut the door behind her,she was shocked to see Kouji was lying on the big sofa that was next to the piano.He seem unconscious.  
  
Zoe approched to Kouji.  
  
"Kouji what's wrong?"Zoe asked.  
  
As Zoe ran her fingers over his face,she felt the hot air are now rising from his forehead making his face heating like an oven.Zoe started to get worry now, she doesn't know what to do.  
  
"Kouji don't scare me like that!"Zoe said,trying to reassure herself that he's not sick "Alright,last chance to give up on your joke,this is not funny!"  
  
Kouji did nothing but kept on groaning.  
  
"Z..Zoe,"Kouji was struggling to try to tell her something. But Zoe can barely hear him.  
  
"Kouji are you having a fever?"Zoe asked.  
  
Kouji suddenly grabed onto Zoe's arm. "Take me.."Kouji paused,he was too weak to go on.  
  
"Take you where?"Zoe was confused.  
  
Zoe grabbed his hand and placed it beside her cheek,tears started to roll down from her eyes. "Kouji please be okay.".She grabbed onto Kouji's hand tightly.  
  
"I've got to take you to the nurse room."Zoe said. Then she pulled Kouji up from the couch and embraced one of Kouji's arm around her neck for support.As Zoe stepped forward,she noticed that Kouji weren't even moving.So she turned around and pulled him to step forward. Kouji's legs started to woble so he leaned forward onto Zoe.Kouji's weight made Zoe felt onto the floor and he was now on top of Zoe. Zoe can't move right now because Kouji was too heavy for her.  
  
"Come on Kouji get up! I'm squished here!"Zoe complained. She was now blushing at the same time.  
  
"How am I ever going to get up?"Zoe whispered to herself.She doesn't want to stay here overnight with Kouji. It's too embarrassing when the janitor see them next morning like this on the ground.  
  
Just when Zoe thought that they really have to stay overnight in this room,Kouji's cell phone that was next to her started to rang.Zoe ran her fingers on the phone and managed to get it.  
  
"Hello?"Zoe responsed. The voice from the other phone was shocked to hear Zoe's voice.  
  
"Hello? Who is this? And where's young master?"the butler asked.  
  
"Kouji' having a fever right now! Can you come and pick him up? We're in the music room right now."Zoe replied.  
  
"Yes I'll be there." The butler said.After the he finished talking, she heard some gigling from the background.  
  
Few minutes later,a guy wore texedo walked into the room.Zoe knew that must be the driver.  
  
"Holly crap!" both of them exclaimed at the same time. They were totally shocked to see each other. Zoe was shocked because she have never seen a 50 years old lemo driver will have bright-green spicky hair.And the driver was shocked because he saw Kouji was on top of Zoe.He thought they're doing some inappropriate activity(you know what I mean I don't want to say that word).Kouji was now tightly wrapped his two arms around Zoe's neck and was deeply asleep.  
  
"What on earth are you two doing?"he asked sarcastically.  
  
"I can explain it later, but can you get him off me?And please try not to wake him up."Zoe pleaded.  
  
The driver nodded and came and lifted Kouji up. But Kouji seems to won't let go of Zoe.  
  
"Let go of me!"Zoe commanded. But Kouji was still grabbing onto her.He thought that Zoe was his pillow or something, so he won't let go.The driver tried to pull them apart, but Kouji was too stubborn. Then finally the diver shrugged a little.  
  
"Well in that case, you're coming with us missy." he said, then he threw both of them into lemo.As he shut the door, Zoe was banging on the window.  
  
"Let me out!"she screamed.  
  
"Too late missy." the diver said  
  
"That diver is so rude! How could Kouji's family hired this kind of driver? And great! I'm going to Kouji house or should I say, Mansion. He never told me that he's rich before.." Zoe thought.  
  
Ten minutes later:  
  
Zoe gasped as she saw Kouji's big, enormous, beautiful mansion.She thought that Kouji must be pretty lucky.  
  
When all the maid servants saw Zoe, the whole room started to fill with buzzing noices.  
  
"Is that our young master's new girlfrined? She sure is pretty." one of the said.  
  
"And she look quite charming too with those golden blond hair." the other one said.  
  
"Wonder how they got together?"  
  
"This is the first time our young master brought a girl home"  
  
"She's obviously younger than Cecilia."  
  
Zoe felt embarrassed as she heard all those conversation, her stomach started do somersaults.  
  
Zoe was now in Kouji's bedroom, she was shocked to find out that his room was 10 times larger than her living room, the biggest room in her house.  
  
"So do you think Kouji will be alright?" Zoe asked with concerns in her eyes.  
  
"Of course he'll be alright.You sure does care about your boyfriend." The maid servant said.Zoe's cheek suddenly turned red.Her brows started to knit together.  
  
"Excuse me?" Zoe said.  
  
"Oh come on face it," the maid servant smiled at Zoe "You guys do have something for each other don't you?".  
  
"We're just friends." Zoe protested.  
  
"Well,"the maid servant began "did he ever protect you before?"  
  
A flash of memory came to Zoe as she thought about what the maid servant have just said.Kouji did protected her from Takuya in the resturant few weeks ago.She swallowed back the emotion in her throat.  
  
"Well.."Zoe trembled.Her face was now glued to the ground.  
  
"And did he ever tried to kiss you before?"the maid servant asked.  
  
The memory of that time when Kouji tried to kiss her in the park flooded back to her head.Making her cheeks brighter and redder.  
  
"I..I've g..g..got to go." Zoe made up an excuses. She doesn't want to answer it anymore.  
  
As Zoe walked out from the room,she looked around.  
  
"Ummmm... where's the staircase?"she asked herself.  
  
"Great, I am so lost!" She thought.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Okay so what do you think? Do you like it? Comments PLEASE. So how is Zoe going to get out of the mansion? Will she make it? Who will help her? And how is Kouji will react to this whole thing after he woke up? Toon in next time! 


	6. The Annual Fairy Tale Festival

Hey y'all sugar (pretending to be Renemon)!!!! It's moi again!!!! I bet you guys are waiting to see how Kouji will react when he woke up right? Well you'll see it in this chapter!!!!!!!And please! Comments!!!!!  
  
Zoe was now wondering around in the hallway. She knew she was totally lost.  
  
"This is totally not my lucky day!" Zoe mumbled to herself. She was now a bit scared because she can't find her way out. The hallway was almost as long as the CN tower.  
  
"How can Kouji find his way out all the time?"Zoe was wondering "He probably always got lost in his mansion."  
  
"Woof!" a voice from the back startled her attention. As she turned around, her face brightened up.  
  
"Maxwell!" Zoe exclaimed "I'm so happy to see you little guy!". Then she gave him a big hug.  
  
Maxwell gave Zoe a big lick on the face. Zoe can tell that Maxwell was happy to see her too.  
  
"Hey stop that! It tickles!" she laughed. Then she stroke Maxwell's long, silky light-yellow fur.  
  
"Hey Maxwell," Zoe said "Can you lead me out of this mansion?"  
  
Maxwell's eyes glared and he nodded.  
  
As Zoe started to walk out from the mansion, she noticed that the place look so classic with the fiery-red carpets with golden trims on it. And those white sculptures of angels and other people. The wooden polished furnitures gave a sight of beauty into the place.  
  
"I wish I could live in here!" Zoe said "Kouji is so lucky!". Thisplace is definetly her dream her.  
  
Kouji's P.O.V.:  
  
As I slowly peeked open my eyes, I've found myself inside of my room,on my bed. I was totally confused about it, I thought I was in the music room. How did I ends up in here? My head hurts as I thought about it. Then an image of Zoe flashed into my head, making my head hurts even more.  
  
I slowly rose from the bed. Then I rubbed my aching neck and stretched my cramped arms and legs. I walked up to m closet and took out a blue swearter ans a pair of white pant.  
  
All of a sudden, someone knocked at my door.  
  
"Come in." I said.  
  
My maid servaant came in and gave me a smile. Then she placed her hand on my forehead.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked sarcastically.  
  
"You've got a fever last night," she replied "And your girlfriend brought you home."  
  
I jumped a bit, my eyes was now as big as a compact discs.  
  
"My what?" I exclaimed in surprise. What on earth is she talking about? My girlfriend?Who's my girlfriend? I pinched myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming.  
  
"Ummmm,your girlfriend." She grined at me, then she tossed her red curly hair over her shoulder.  
  
I blinked in obvious surprise before finding my voice.  
  
"I don't have any girlfriend and you know it!" I protested, my cheeks started to turn red.  
  
"Oh really," she raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow "Then can you tell me who that blond hair girl that brought you home yesterday?"  
  
"Zoe?" I wondered. Because she was the only blond hair girl that I know.  
  
"Well?" she asked, still waiting for my answer.  
  
"S..She's my friend!" I trembled.  
  
"Your friend?" she questioned with a suspicious look on her face "Then you should really check the meaning of FRIEND in the dictionary young master. Because I think you guys are more than just friends."  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked. She was right, Zoe and I are more than just friends, but does that means we're couples? No! That's not possible! But why am I tried to kiss her before?And why is she so special to me? Well there might be one reason.. People said that everyone borned with sense that can only attracts to one thing. You know like butterflies and flowers. I guess that's what happen with Zoe and I.  
  
"Well?"she begun with a chuckle "Mr.Smith (the driver) told me and everyone in the mansion that he saw you were sleeping on top of her on the ground in the music room yesterday. And he thought that you two were doing uh..grown- up stuff."  
  
"What!" I cried, then I griped my finger my fingers on her shoulder "Please tell me that you're joking, please!"  
  
"Hey I'm sorry but it is the truth." She admitted "And when he tried to lift you up from her, you won't even want to let go of her no matter how hard he tried to pull you two apart."  
  
"Oh man!" I exclaimed, then I plopped onto the bed.  
  
"How embarassing!" I thought. In The School:  
  
Zoe was now walking in the hallway. She was still thinking about what happen yesterday. Thenwithout noticing, she accidentally bumped into Kouji. They were both were shocked to see each other.  
  
"Uh, hi!" Kouji said nervouly.  
  
"Hi!" Zoe gteeted. Her eyes softened, and gave Kouji a lingering look that made his cheeks warm.  
  
"Ummmm, about yesterday, thanks for t.taking me h.h.home." Kouji trembled as beads of sweat are now dropping down from his head.  
  
"No problem."she said bodly, lowering her eye lashes. Then she raised her right arm and placed on Kouji's shoulder. "I'm just glad that you're okay, I was so worried about you that I almost cry."  
  
"Yeah you already cried!" Zoe thought.  
  
Kouji's cheek turned red as he readily received those words from Zoe.  
  
"She does cared about me!" Kouji thought happily. Then he smiled at her.  
  
"And don't you dare to lend your jacket to me again! Or you'll get another fever you silly guy!" Zoe added, and then gave Kouji a pinch on his cheek and a smile.  
  
"Because I cared about you." Kouji said boldly " I won't let anything harm the person that I cared the most, and that's you."  
  
Zoe's cheek grew red as the words flew inte her eardrum. She can't believe ehat Kouji have just said.  
  
"Kouji..." Zoe whispered softly.  
  
Both of them started to look into each other's eyes. Kouji tiled his head to get a perfect angle to her lips and then he wrapped around her.Zoe felt her body was melting into his embrace, her lips aching for his searing kiss. Then again, Kouichi's image flashed into Zoe's mind, making her straighten up her spine and firmly pushed him away.  
  
"I.I got to go. Ummmm Marilyn is still waiting for me by the locker bank." Zoe made up an excuse to push away her thoughts.Then she ran away.  
  
"Bye!" Kouji replied dissapointly, he missed another chance to kiss her. But he wasn't about to give up. He was sure someday, he'll be able to kiss her.  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.:  
  
Lately, I've found a word called Conunrum-n. a riddle. I really liked this word. The word really reminds me of Kouji. The Con part tells me that I am constanly lost my mind when I saw him. The un provided a prefix to everything I was feeling- unbalanced, unarmed, uncertain, and the drum part seemed to sybolized the staccato beat my heart pounded out whenever I was with him. Isn't that interesting?  
  
In the afternoon:  
  
Zoe was in her computer class, listening to her computer teacher teacher professor.Wilkins' lecture.  
  
"Zoe Orimoto," the anouncement startled everyone's attention "Please go to the office immediately."  
  
"Oooooo..." The whole class scolded as if Zoe was going to get in trouble.  
  
Zoe rolled her eyes and went to the office.  
  
"Hi, I'm Zoe Orimoto," Zoe said to one of the secretary in the room "I was sent here by the anouncement."  
  
"Hello Zoe," the secretary greeted " There's a call for you from your mother."  
  
"Hello?" Zoe picked up the phone. She heard nothing but her mother's sobbing. She know she was in for a bad news.  
  
"Mom what's wrong?"she asked scarcely.  
  
"Y..Your grandfather just passed !" she replied through her sobbing.  
  
Zoe was stuned. Her mind went blanked, she dropped the phone. The next thing she knew, she was standing there like a firmed solid. Her chest heaving up and down like a coiled spring, but no air was reaching her lungs.She let out a choked sob and pushed the door, she ran away blinded by tears, her failing arms trailing along the walls to guide her. She sat down on the staircase, and burst inti convulsive tears.  
  
Kouichi walked by and heard someone was crying s he ran up to that person and was shocked to see that person was actually Zoe.  
  
"Zoe are you okay?" he asked. He felt a stab of pain went inside of him as he saw Zoe's tear. He placed his hand on Zoe's back and sat beside her.  
  
Zoe looked at him, then tackled onto him and flung her arms onto him. Kouichi was pleasantly surprised by her action, he felt a light blush spreaded across his face. Zoe buried her face into Kouichi's chest, her tears soacked his shirt. Before Kouichi knew it, Zoe wrapped around her tighter and tighter every seconds.  
  
"Please don't leave me !" Zoe blurted out, tilting her head into Kouichi's neck "I need you, I really need you!"  
  
Kouichi's arms slowly melted into Zoe. He have no idea what he's doing right now, but he just want this moment to be forever.  
  
Zoe felt so safe and protected inside Kouichi's hug. She suddenly felt all the stress and guilt that had been eating away her happiness dissapeared.  
  
Next day (Saturday) in "Moi Bijou" resturant:  
  
"Annual Fairy Tale what!" Zoe exclaimed loudly. Her eyes was as big as a golf ball.  
  
"The Annual Fairy Tale Festival." Chris replied calmly.  
  
"Yeah Zoe, didn't you heard about it?" Marily walked passed by caring a pile of trays "It's sort of like a little tradition this resturant have.It's time of year when we decorate our returant into a castle-like place and we'll all dress in a fairy tale character that Mrs. Rosemarry assign us to. And we'll changed all those menu into fairy tale food.Last year I was red ridding hood."  
  
"Me? Dress in as a fairy tale character, I don't know." Zoe said in an uncertain voice.  
  
"Alright people I am here to anounce the costumes that I've assigned you in. So listen carefully and after that please go to the changing room to put on the costume."Mrs. Rosemarry anouced " Christina Yamiko, you'll be the Snow white. Zoe Orimoto, you'll be Cinderella. Marilyn Tanya, you'll be Sleeping Beauty......"  
  
"Well at least I'm not Ariel the mermaid like last year, all those people was staring at me because I only wore a green fish tail and a purple bikini. I still remember there's a woman covered her son's eyes and scolded at me saying OH GRACIOUS, PUT MORE CLOTH ON!"Chris said.Zoe and Marilyn gigled.  
  
"Well maybe being Cinderella isn't that bad. I mean the costume looks great on me." Zoe bragged.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well that's it, and don't you dare to miss the next chapter. Because you're invited to Moi Bijou's Annual Fairy Tale Festival and Kouji's birthday party!!!!! Yeah baby!!!!!he he he. So don't miss it!!!! 


	7. The Party is On !

Happy Birthday to you! (started singing) Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to Kouji! Happy Birthday to you! Are you 1 , are you 2, are you 3, are you 4,.........  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.:  
  
Okay this might sounds weird but why am I telling Kouichi that I really needed him? I don't really need him. It's just that when ever I wanted to kiss Kouji, he'll pop into my head. Am I under a spell or something? Well maybe he isn't that bad, when I hugged him, I felt like I was really safe and protected. But just because I'm willing to hug him doesn't mean I like him okay, it's just that when ever I'm sad, I have to hug someone to make me feel better. So I just started to develop this I-don't-care-who-I-hug habbit when I'm crying. But I never realized that I felt so great after I hugged him, he's just amazing! *starting to blush really badly* WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT! HE'S AMAZING? AM I CRAZY! * Started to calm down* Okay listen, if you think that I'm starting to like Kouichi, you are totally WRONG! I told him that I needed him is because I wanted him to stay with me for a while so I'll feel better. Yeah! How come I never thought about that before? Oh well! So everything is clear now, except one little problem,why do I feel so safe and protected in his hug? WHY? TELL ME!  
  
Kouji's P.O.V.:  
  
I checked my calender this morning, I can't believe that my birthday is only two weeks away! I've got to send out my invitations now. Hmmm, who should I invite? Mom and Dad can't make it because of their business trip. I'm definetly going to invite Kouichi, Harlen, Michael, Takuya, and obviously Zoe. But wait, if Takuya and Zoe are in the same place, oh! How could I forgot it! They are like two different types of chemicals that will definetly create explodsion if they're together. They'll make my mansion explode and they'll scare away all my relatives and guests! But how am I going to choose between them?  
  
"Young master, Mr. Kambara is on the phone." My butler said.  
  
I quikly went downstair and picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?" I replied.  
  
"Hey Kouji!" Takuya greeted.  
  
"Hi!" I answered.  
  
" Your birthday is coming right?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah." I nodded, tapping my pen against the table.  
  
"I'm sorry! But I can't make it! I have to go to this business meeting for my Dad. But don't worry, I'll still give you the present." Takuya continued.  
  
All of a sudden, I let out a sigh of relieve.  
  
"Now there won't be any explodsions." I murmured to myself.  
  
"What?" Takuya asked.  
  
"Oh..ummmmm n.nothing." I quikly blurted out.  
  
"O.Okay.." Takuya said with an uncertain voice " Well, got to go, see ya!"  
  
"Bye!" I replied, then we both hung up.  
  
"Yes!" I shouted in exictement, this party is going to turn out great after all!  
  
Then my butler walked up to me and placed his hand on my forhead.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked sarcastically.  
  
"I think your fever is coming back again young master." He answered.  
  
"Oh brother!" I rolled my eyes to the ceiling.  
  
Normal P.O.V ( Zoe and Marilyn's room):  
  
"Zoe can I borrow your red blouse tomorrow?" Marilyn asked.  
  
"Um, sure." Zoe shouted back from the washroom, she was taking a shower "It's in my wardrobe!"  
  
As Marilyn digged her hands into the piles of neatly folded clothes, she caught her fingers onto some shinny object.As she took it out, she gasped in surprise.  
  
"Ahhh!" she screamed at the top of her lung.  
  
"What's wrong?" Zoe wrapped herself with a towel and dashed out from the washroom.  
  
"I.It's the hairclip!" Marilyn exclaimed " How did it ends up in your wardrobe?"  
  
"I..I um, well um, y..you s.see um.yeah.."Zoe mumbled in fear. She knew Marilyn can be quite scary sometimes when she didn't got wanted.  
  
"Marilyn's patient rapily depleting. She lifted one of her eyebrow and crossed her arms.  
  
"Come on Zoe, just tell me the truth!" Marilyn said glumly.  
  
Zoe nodded defeatly, she knew this day will come.  
  
"Well, I found it in the garden behind the resturant." Zoe admitted.  
  
Marilyn gave her a smile, then ran her finger on Zoe's golden blond hair and landed on her shoulder.  
  
"Zoe it's okay! You don't have to lie to me that you didn't find it." Marilyn reasurred Zoe "I don't need that silly thing to tell me who's my soulmate anymore! I already got someone that I'm totally in for!"  
  
"Oh really? Who is he? What's his name?" Zoe's excitement overwhelmed her fear.  
  
A slight blush spreaded across her cheeks.  
  
"I don't know his name yet, but I know he have this cerulean eyes that made my legs wobled and his dark, rich hair that looks so irrisistible on him! He's absolutely adorable!" Marilyn let her words drew a picture on her mind.  
  
"Did you ever tried to talk to him?" Zoe asked eagerly.  
  
"I think I need some more times!" Marilyn replied slowly " I always felt tongue-tied around him."  
  
"Yeah it's hard to confess your feeling to a boy sometimes." Zoe agreed.  
  
"So what's up with you and Kouji?" Marilyn asked.  
  
"How do you know my crush was Kouji?" Zoe inquired.  
  
"How do I know it was Kouji?" Marilyn said, raising up Zoe's note book that got Kouji's name written all over the front cover. Then flashed a smileto Zoe did nothing bit laughed nervously.  
  
"Well who ever this Kouji guy is, I'm syre he'll love you back." Marilyn asserted.  
  
"Thanks!" Zoe said. Then they smiled at each other.  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.:  
  
I never told anyone about my king size crush on Zoe Before. I don't know why, but I like to keep my problems to myself. You know, Zoe is so special! I like to think about her a lot. Her dancing sapphire eyes, her playful, slight pouty mouth, her smooth golden tan skin- all framed by her long silky golden hair. She's just wonderful!I really wanted to admitte my feelings to her, but I'm afraid that she might reject it. I felt so surprised that that she hugged me, and she said that she really needed me. When she hugged me, I felt like my hands trembled, and my knees felt as if they could give away any seconds.I couldn't control my frantically fluterring heart so I put my arms around her. It feels so good! I really wish that moment can last forever!  
  
In Moi Bijou Resturant:  
  
Zoe was watching the lovely couples dancing in the ball room in some romantic slow music. Her eyes was wide and glittering with anticipation as she thought about Kouji and her dancing in the ball room together. How romantic that would be.  
  
"Zoe you've got to help me!" Mrs. Rossmarry broke in.  
  
"What is it?" Zoe asked.  
  
"Mrs.McWater's daughter Christy wanted Cinderella to keep her in company."Mrs.Rosemarry replied.  
  
"But why can't she just get Sleeping Bauty or something?"Zoe inquired curiously.  
  
"I'm sorry but she only wants Cinderella! And her mother is a very important costumer of our resturant." Mrs. Rosemarry apologized.  
  
Zoe sighed indefeat, and went over to the little girl.  
  
"Cinderella!" she exclaimed, and gave Zoe a big hug and a kiss.  
  
"Hello!" Zoe greeted and smiled at her.  
  
"You're so pretty! I wish I could have blond hair like you!" she said, grazing Zoe's long, silky hair. "Where's your prince? Aren't you supposed to be in your catsle with him?"  
  
"Well.." Zoe can't say that she's not Cinderella, but she can't just randomly pick a waiter and say that's her prince.  
  
"Zoe!" Kouji shouted excitely from the other side.  
  
"Is that the prince?" the little girl asked, her eyes glistened with anticipation.  
  
"Uh..yeah!" Zoe nodded, ever thought she knew it wasn't " Just stay here, I need to the prince okay?"  
  
"Be quick!" she said.  
  
Zoe walked over to Kouji.  
  
"Hey Kouji!" Zoe greeted.  
  
"Hi! Wow! You're beautiful today!" Kouji exclaimed as his eyes traveles down to her dress.  
  
Zoe blushed a bit.  
  
"So..I was wondering c..can you come to m..m.my birthday p.p..party?" Kouji trembled, his hand was now too sweaty to grip onto the invitation.  
  
"Sure!" Zoe said delightly, and took the invitation card.  
  
Kouji slyly smiled, then before he knew it, Christy jumped onto his back and hugged him.  
  
"Oh, hello dear."Kouji turned around and grinned at her.  
  
"Are you her prince?" Christy asked  
  
"Uh.." Kouji doesn't know what to say. Then Zoe pantomimed Kouji to tell him to say yes.  
  
"You and her are couple made in heaven!" she shouted happily as she wrapped onto Kouji's back tighter.  
  
Kouji and Zoe looked at each other, then they both looked down at the ground and blushed  
  
End Of The Day:  
  
Zoe, Marilyn and Chris are now mopping the floor while having some conversation.  
  
"Zoe what's wrong?" Chris asked "Is there's something wrong?"  
  
"Zoe, we're your best friends! You should tell us!" Marilyn said.  
  
Zoe frowned.  
  
"I wanted to tell you guys, but I'm not sure if you guys can help me." Zoe replied, she drew her chin on top of the mop and laid her weights on it " Kouji invited me to his his birthday party, but I don't know what to give him. I really want to give him something special."  
  
"Of course we can help you Zoe!" Marilyn placed her elbow on top of Chris's shoulder "We'll go to the mall with you tomorrow and help you get a gift"  
  
"Thanks guys!" Zoe smiled at them.  
  
Next Day:  
  
Chris pulled her jeep into the parking lot. She pulled out her car key and turned around to face Marilyn and Zoe who sat at the back row.  
  
"Okay everybody out! We're here!" Chris anounced.  
  
Marilyn pushed her dark sunglasses over her head to get a view of the parking lot. Then she traveled her blue eyes to Zoe who looked worried.  
  
"Don't worry girl! We'll help you find the right gift." Marilyn reassured her.  
  
Zoe lifted up her head and forced a smile.  
  
Inside The Mall:  
  
"Alright Zoe, before you go and buy the gift, you have to tell us what's his personalities."Marilyn questioned.  
  
"Well, he's nice and sweet. And he always cheers me up." Zoe replied.  
  
"And what feeling do you have towards this Kouji?" Chris asked.  
  
"Warm!" Zoe speaked up sweetly.  
  
"Bingo! I think I know what you should give him Zoe! Come follow me!" Marilyn pulled Zoe into a cloth shop.  
  
"Ta-da!" Marilyn pulled out a light blue wool sweater " You said that he gave you a warm cozy feeling right? Well this sweater is warm enough !"  
  
"That's graet!" Zoe exclaimed "Well that was fast!"  
  
After Zoe paid for the sweater, Marilyn walked up to her.  
  
"Now all you need is an outfit!" Marilyn suggested.  
  
"No it's okay." Zoe said " I need guy opinion for this and I know who to call."  
  
Zoe smirked a bit and took out her cell phone from her purse.  
  
"Hi! I was just wondering are you free tomorrow?" Zoe started to talk to that person "Good! 'cause I need you help!"  
  
Next Day:  
  
"So what are we doing in the mall?" Kouichi asked curiously.  
  
"Well, I'm invited to Kouji's birthday party, and I need you to help me pick out and outfit." Zoe replied.  
  
"But why can't you just ask your girlfriends instead of me? Guys are usually clueless to fashion and we just wear what ever is comfortable." Kouichi said.  
  
Zoe crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"So you don't want to help me right? Fine be that way, I was just thinking about getting guy opinion. If you don't want to help me, then good bye!" Zoe insisted, then she walked away.  
  
"Wait! That's not what I meant!" Kouichi chased after Zoe.  
  
Zoe turned to Kouichi and flashed him a smile.  
  
"Then what are we waiting for!" Zoe grabbed onto Kouichi's hand and pulled him into a cloth shop nearby "Wheee!"  
  
"Oh brother!" Kouichi groaned.  
  
In The Store:  
  
Zoe was trying on different types of dresses and shoes, Kouichi was sitting on the bench giving comments to the dresses.  
  
"Too flashy!"  
  
"Too dark!"  
  
"Hello, we're not going to a funeral or something!"  
  
"This isn't St. Patrick's Day!"  
  
"Too much skin! Are you trying to make everyone have nose bleed?"  
  
"This isn't right!"  
  
"You should really put that in the museum."  
  
"Am I seeing Barbie junior here?"  
  
Zoe was irritated by Kouichi's dislike comments. She gathered up a pile of dresses and threw them onto Kouichi.  
  
"Hey what was that for!" Kouichi complained.  
  
"Why don't you help me pick a dress this time Mr. Know-it-all!" Zoe said with a grumpy voice.  
  
Kouichi sighed  
  
"Looks like I'm not going home for dinner tonight!" Kouichi thought.  
  
The night of Kouji's birthday party:  
  
There were over 200 guests in the party. Most of them are Kouji's relatives and friends from all over the world. All of them are now dancing in the ball room with some classic music except Harlen and Michael who were pigging out in the food court.  
  
"Man, these songs suck!" Harlen complained.  
  
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Michael asked with an evil grin.  
  
Harlen gave a high-five.  
  
"You bet ya!" Harlen replied.  
  
Then they both went up to the stage.  
  
"Whao, whao, whao stop the music!" Harlen shouted.  
  
All of a sudden, the music started to fade and everyone stopped dancing and turned their attention to Harlen and Michael.  
  
"You guys called that music? Come on people!" Harlen continued. "Now this is music!"  
  
Then, Michael threw away the music record that was playing and he put Nelly's "Hot in here" (it's a rap song)  
  
"It's getting hot in here, so talke off all your . . ." The music started to flow into the ball room and everyone started to dance, all the ladies took off their high-heels.  
  
"Come on people, shake what your mama gave ya!" Harlen shouted through the microphone, then he turned to Michael. "You ready?"  
  
"Of course!" Michael said cheerfully.  
  
"The roof is on fire! (it's part of the song) The roof is on fire!" Both of them screamed through the microphone. All the guests misunderstood them and started to howled in horror!  
  
"People people!" Harlen banged the table to get their attention to try to calm them down. "It's just part of the song. There is no fire on roof."  
  
Meanwhile . . .  
  
"What was that" Zoe raised her eyebrow. She was now having some drink with Kouichi.  
  
"Oh brother! What are those two up to this time!" Kouichi said, groaned in disappointment and he covered his eyes.  
  
"Well I've got to go and check out what the other's are doing. See ya" Zoe waved goodbye to Kouichi and started to walk away.  
  
Zoe spotted Kouji was alone in the backyard beside his pool. She decided to talk to him.  
  
"Hey," Zoe greeted him and sat beside him.  
  
Kouji immediately broke his gaze to the water and turned his attention to her.  
  
"Hi!" Kouji said firmly. "Don't you just think the sky is so beautiful tonight?"  
  
Zoe looked up to the dazzling sky. It was really pretty, the stars shining like diamonds casting glittering shadow into the water.  
  
"It sure is!" Zoe whispered softly.  
  
In the dark lavender light from the sky blurred edges and boundaries of the backyard, making the outline of Zoe's hand against Kouji's soft and indistinct-as if they'd been melded together.  
  
When they looked at each other, Zoe smiled at Kouji, she looked so beautiful. Kouji felt as light and buoyant as a helium- filled balloons. He knew he had to kiss her. Her eyes sparkled, and her mouth parted slightly. That was all the invitation he needed, catching his breath, he leaned toward her, tilting his head at a perfect angle to bring his lips to hers. Suddenly just before contact.  
  
"Oooo . . ." All Kouji's friends popped out of nowhere with flashing cameras and high-pitched cheering.  
  
All the commotions cut through the evening romantic air. Both of them jumped backward a bit and started to blush really badly.  
  
Kouichi stood there silently as he saw Zoe and Kouji was trying to kiss each other. Without noticing, a drop of tear went down from his eyes. He quickly blinked away and ran out, dissapeared into the cheering crowd without anyone's notice.  
  
**************************************************************************** *** "It's getting hot in here, so take of all your . . ."(start singing) Oops, sorry about that. Well, anyways, toon in next time for more (star singing) "It's getting hot in here, so take of all your . . ." Someone is getting a really bad heart break. 


	8. More Than Just Friends

Hey people! It's me again, with a brand new chapter! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter because I've stay up all night to finish it. It's quite touching anyways, enjoy! And don't blame on me for not making Kouji and Kouichi brothers because I am totally not fascinated with TWINS! You know why? I have one too, and it's such a pain! Yesterday, my parents are away so I volunteered to cook since I'm the older twin. But guess what, she said that my cooking was awful! I was about to explode, it's not like her cooking is not bad! So we argued for the whole afternoon and guess what, we didn't even get to eat anything! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kouichi dashed into the living room angrily and startled everyone's attention. He ran up to staircase, blinded by his tears. He can feel the pains and sorrows had seeped down inside of him. Sadness cemented on his face as his emotions clogged in his throat. Blood pulsed inside of his head, making him feeling light and dizzy. What had happened at Kouji's party had hit him like a missile.  
  
"Young master, how came you came back so early from Mr. Minamoto 's birthday party?" Kouichi's butler asked, placing his hand on Kouichi's shoulder.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Kouichi hollered with annoyance, he wrenched away his butler's hand without taking a glimpse of him. He then ran up to his room and gave a hard slam on the door.  
  
Everyone was shocked by he's doing right now, they have seen a variety of disdainful expression on Kouichi's face over the past 18 years, but not this one. He's always so cheerful until now.  
  
Four days later:  
  
Kouji and the others noticed that Kouichi have been absent for 4 days already. They thought that he was sick or something so they decided to visit him.  
  
"Hi, we're here to see Kouichi. Is that okay?" Takuya greeted Kouichi's butler.  
  
His butler frowned in disappointment.  
  
"I'm afraid not," He replied sadly. "Ever since he came back from Mr. Minamoto's birthday party, he locked himself in his room. He refused to come out or even to eat!"  
  
All of a sudden, his eyes became watery as if he was about to cry.  
  
"What!" Takuya exclaimed. He could feel himself instantly refilling with tension. "How could you let this happened!"  
  
Then without getting a second thought, Takuya pushed Kouichi's butler away and went inside the mansion.  
  
"Takuya wait!" Kouji shouted behind him, he dropped the bouquet of Jasmines on the ground and ran after Takuya.  
  
Harlen and Michael shrugged and ran after Takuya and Kouji.  
  
"Please wait!" Kouichi's butler yelled to persuade them to come back.  
  
When Kouji and the others are standing in front of Kouichi's bedroom door, Takuya got an idea of how to break in to Kouichi's bedroom.  
  
"Alright, everybody stand back!" Takuya commended. Then he stepped back from Kouichi's bedroom door. Then, he ran to the bedroom door, giving it a hard tackle on the door and it immediately broke down.  
  
"Alright!" Harlen cheered happily.  
  
Then they all went inside the room. What they saw made them gasp.  
  
They found Kouichi lying on the carpet floor. He was unconscious, his face was pale white and his lips were turning purple. He doesn't even seem to be breathing.  
  
"Oh my gosh! "Kouji exclaimed, rushing over to Kouichi and gently slapped him to see if Kouichi can react to the slapping. But he didn't.  
  
"Hurry up and call 9-1-1!" Michael shouted to Kouichi's maidservants.  
  
"Kouichi, Kouichi, can you hear me?" Takuya yelled at Kouichi, tears started to stream down from his eyes. "No!"  
  
In the hospital:  
  
The doctor came out from the emergency room, Takuya and the others ran up to the doctor.  
  
"So is Kouichi going to be alright?" Kouji asked, gripping his fingers onto the doctor's sleeves.  
  
"You know what, he's fine." He replied. "I'm glad you boys brought him here on time. If it's not for you boys, he could have die!"  
  
"What made you say that?" Harlen inquired.  
  
"Well," The doctor said, pushing his glasses a bit higher. "It seems like he ate these pills that almost kill him. If I'm not wrong, I think he was trying suicide himself."  
  
"What!" Harlen exclaimed. "Kouichi will never do such a thing!"  
  
-"Anyways," The doctor continued. "Kouichi needs to stay in the hospital for a week for check-ups and run more tests."  
  
"Can we go and see him right now?" Michael asked.  
  
"Of course." He nodded.  
  
Next day after school:  
  
Zoe decided to visit Kouji after school in the music room. She was surprised to find out that Kouji was quite upset. His eyes were red-rimmed from exhaustion; he had been staying up all night watching over Kouichi in the hospital with Takuya and the others.  
  
"What's wrong?" Zoe asked. "You seem tired and sad?"  
  
Kouji lowered his eyelashes slowly and sighed.  
  
"It's Kouichi," Kouji replied. "He almost died, now he's in the hospital."  
  
"What!" Zoe exclaimed loudly. She gripped onto Kouji's sleeves tightly, hoping that she misunderstood what he had just said. "Tell me that you're joking, please!"  
  
"It is the truth." It was the only phrase that leaped to his mind. "He locked himself in his room for 4 days without coming out and he refused to eat. When my friends and I broke down the door, we found him on the ground. He seemed unconscious. So we took him to the hospital, the doctor told us that he was actually self-inflicted himself!"  
  
"How could you have let this happened to him!" Zoe shouted. All of a sudden, tears blurred her vision. She felt as if those words that Kouji have just said pierced her insides, and a sudden uncontrollable fury came rushing out. "Hoe could you!"  
  
"I-I got to see him!" Zoe said, she quickly dashed out from the music room.  
  
"Zoe, wait!" Kouji shouted back.  
  
"Why is Zoe being overreacted to this thing? How come she seems so worried about Kouichi?" Kouji thought.  
  
In the hospital:  
  
Kouichi heard someone knocked at the door.  
  
"Come in!" He said.  
  
"Kouichi!" Zoe came in from the door. Her eyes were red and watery.  
  
Kouichi felt the familiar churning in his stomach. He doesn't know how to react to this. He wished that Zoe hadn't decided to visit him.  
  
Suddenly, Zoe jumped onto him and tightly wrapped her arms on his neck, breathing in the scent of Kouichi's apricot shampoo. The feeling of being pressed against a warm body was so comforting. She loved the way their bodies fit together, like two pieces in a puzzle. Resting her heads onto Kouichi's shoulder, she suddenly burst into convulsive sobs. She felt happy that Kouichi was all right. She felt like this was one of the greatest moments in her life.  
  
"Oh Kouichi, I was so worried about you!" Zoe found herself a bit hard to control her voice over her tears. "I don't want to lose you, I don't want to lose a friend like you!" The tears from her eyes came harder now.  
  
Kouichi's face became sullen.  
  
"Just a friend?" He whispered softly.  
  
Zoe pulled away and looked into Kouichi's eyes. Her brain was having a little bit trouble processing the words. "W-What?"  
  
An icy fear skittered down Zoe's spine.  
  
"O-Of course I'm your friend," Zoe replied nervously. "I'm always your."Before Zoe can continue her sentence, Kouichi's fierce anger cemented on his face. "Kouichi what's wrong?"  
  
Kouichi looked down at his blanket. Suddenly, few drops of tears came down and soaked the blanket.  
  
"Kouichi, what's wrong?" Zoe felt the pain rose up to her throat, making her swallowed back.  
  
"Go away!" Kouichi muttered under his breath.  
  
"W-What?" Zoe felt hot tears are drooling down from the rims of her eyes.  
  
"I said go away!" Kouichi shouted loudly.  
  
"Kouichi!" Zoe repeated his name through her tears. Her heart was shattered into million pieces. She let out a choked sob.  
  
"K-Kouichi!" Zoe seemed hard to find her voice over her sobbing. "Why?"  
  
Kouichi covered his ears with both of his hands. He couldn't control himself anymore. Zoe's voice sent pains and sorrows inside of him. It also brought back painful memories he had had in Kouji's birthday party. Then hot tears spontaneously burst out from his dark, cerulean eyes.  
  
"Get out now!" He screamed even louder than before, using the last of his pent-up as rage of fuel.  
  
Zoe ran out from Kouichi's room, she was crying uncontrollably, she felt sadness and pains weakening her body.  
  
"Kouichi," Zoe cried. "Kouichi!"  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
After Zoe had left the room, Kouichi was sobbing uncontrollably. A feeling of guiltiness fluttered into his chest. He felt sadness seeped slowly into the hole where his pains and sorrows had been.  
  
"Z-Zoe, Zoe!" Kouichi started to repeat Zoe's name over and over again. Then his voice his voice suddenly broke into tears.  
  
"I loved you, with all my heart!"  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
It was raining really badly outside. But Zoe didn't cared. She had lost her mind. Suddenly she felt her legs started to wobble, so she threw her knees on the solid ground, raising up her face to the sky, letting the rain come down and wash away her tears.  
  
"Kouichi," Zoe whispered softly "Why?"  
  
Few days later:  
  
Zoe decided to take Kouichi back home, since he can leave the hospital now. Knowing the fact that Kouichi might not want to see her, she's still willing to go. She missed him over the few days, she knew she have to go through the motions of adjusting to a life without him. Because she knew that Kouichi will never talk to her again. Over the past few days, she'd realized how important Kouichi was to her life. She knew she couldn't go on without him.  
  
"Hey Kouichi!" Zoe greeted softly, forcing a smile to him. "Is everything alright?"  
  
Kouichi turned around and flashed a bright smile to Zoe. Zoe was pleasantly surprised.  
  
"Why Kouichi, you're not mad at me anymore?" Zoe pinched herself to make sure that she's not dreaming.  
  
"Of course not!" Kouichi replied happily. "We're still friends right?"  
  
Zoe felt happy again. She ran up to him and gave him a big hug. She wrapped her arms over his neck and rested her head onto his shoulder. Suddenly, she burst into sobbing again. She was glad that everything had worked out.  
  
Kouichi placed his arms around Zoe's waist, pulling her close to him. He pressed his whole body against Zoe's, tears started to pour down from his eyes. He had found happiness again.  
  
Kouji looked at them from the window on the bedroom door, feeling a bit jealous.  
  
Kouji's P.O.V.  
  
There's obviously something's wrong with Kouichi and Zoe. But why am I feeling jealous? I should be feeling happy for them, am I? So why am I being like that? I guess I do have something for Zoe. What am I talking about? Of course I do! I've been fooling to myself all along! I did love her, a lot! But what about Cecillia? And what about Kouichi?  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.  
  
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height. My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight. For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. II love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints,- I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! -and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.  
  
Zoe , I wanted to tell you thank you! You taught me that love is a special gift. The best and most beautiful thing in the whole world cannot be seen or even be touched. It must be felt with the heart, and that's love. I loved you with my soul, even though I knew your heart doesn't belong to me. It hurts me when I saw you and Kouji are together, I have no choice, but to let you go. Even thought I'll have to let go of you. My love for you will never die. Just remember, true love transcends the self and makes a person the better for having touched it. Each person must learn that nothing can break love's bond, not even the face of death, and this is one treasure that makes life beautiful. My love for you will never fade away, my dear Zoe. I wish you the best luck with you and Kouji.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well that's it! What do you think? Is it touchy? Awwwww true love, what a wonderful gift! Remember, the most wonderful and most beautiful thing in the world cannot be seen or even be touched, it must be felt with the heart, and that's love! Well, see you next time! And please comments! Thank you and see you later!  
  
This chapter is dedicated for people who have insisted or have sacrificed for true love 


	9. She's mine!

Hey you guys! It's me again! Sorry I haven't update for a while because I just got my electricity back. Anyways, this chapter is about two guys fighting over for a girl, well kind of anyways, just read it!  
  
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Normal P.O.V. (in the cafeteria):  
  
The boys except Kouichi are now having some chitchat while having their meal.  
  
"Hey Kouji, Harlen and I got something to show you!" Michael said stiffly, trying to muster some enthusiasm.  
  
"What is it?" Kouji questioned, stabbing his plastic fork into a plate of chicken cedar salad.  
  
"Ta-da!" Harlen held up a picture of Kouji and Zoe were about too kiss in Kouji's birthday party.  
  
Kouji immediately choked his food out from his mouth. Then let out a horrendous cough.  
  
"How did you guys.." Kouji's jaw suddenly felt tensed.  
  
"What?" Takuya shouted, he sounded baffled. "Kouji I'm telling you, she's not the kind of girl you want to spend the rest of your life with!"  
  
Kouji felt the tight knot of tension in his stomach slowly uncoil.  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
Kouichi stood at the end of the cafeteria line, holding his tray awkwardly and scanning the room for his friends.  
  
"Why weren't they at their normal table by the windows?" Kouichi wondered.  
  
"Hey over here!"  
  
He turned and caught sight of Zoe's distinctive blond hair. She was sitting at the far end of the cafeteria, waving frantically to him.  
  
Kouichi gave Zoe a lopsided smile and sat beside her.  
  
"So-are you busy tomorrow Saturday night?" Zoe asked, her eyes flickered as she felt the urge to ask him out.  
  
"What? You want guy opinion on outfits again?" Kouichi chuckled as he made his finger into quotation marks and his dark cerulean eyes flashed.  
  
"No of course not!" Zoe gave him a playful swat on his arm.  
  
"Then what is it?" Kouichi asked again, rotating the spaghettis on his fork.  
  
"Well," Zoe said, twirling a strand of her long silky blond hair into her index finger. "I heard the radio said that there will be a meteor shower tomorrow night at 3'o clock. So I was wondering if you could come."  
  
"It's 3'o clock in the morning missy, don't you have to go to sleep?" Kouichi gave Zoe a peck on her cheek.  
  
"What, Marilyn said that she have to study for an upcoming test, Chris got a date that night, and Kouji have to go to this meeting for his dad. You are the only one that I can ask!" Zoe countered; she'd never been so cavalier about this before. "A girl can't go outside alone in the dark, it's too dangerous!"  
  
"But I have to go to sleep!" Kouichi reasoned.  
  
"Come on please!" Zoe leaned forward to Kouichi eagerly, begging him with her puppy-face.  
  
"But I really have to go to sleep!" Kouichi complained with annoyance.  
  
Zoe felt her heart gave a little flutter as the news sank in.  
  
"Fine, be that way!" Zoe then held up her tray and turned on her heel and strode out.  
  
Kouichi immediately stood up and raced after her.  
  
"Zoe wait!" Kouichi said, standing in front of her, he held up his hands in an I-give-up posture. "Okay you win, I'll pick you up tomorrow night at 2:30."  
  
"You mean it?" Zoe's eyes were glittering with excitement.  
  
.Kouichi nodded in defeat.  
  
"You're the best Kouichi!" Zoe cheered. She ran up to Kouichi and flung her arms onto him.  
  
Kouichi smiled at her. Then Zoe unexpectedly pressed her lips gently onto Kouichi's cheek.  
  
Kouichi felt a slight blush got up to his neck; he tugged his hands in his pockets. "Aaaaaa.gee thanks!" He stammered.  
  
Zoe let go of Kouichi and looked down on the ground as a slight blush crept up to her cheek.  
  
Meanwhile..  
  
"Anyways, she's a." Takuya's terrifying shouting dropped into a murmur as his chocolate brown eyes flicked to the other end of the room where he saw Zoe hugged Kouichi and kissed him on the cheek. "Ummm, Kouji, you better see this."  
  
What Kouji saw filled him with a horrible feeling of dread. He felt his stomach lurched. Suddenly, the tuna sandwich inside of his mouth tasted like sponge. The corner of his mouth flickered down into a frown.  
  
As Kouji looked up, he saw his friends' mouths speechlessly flung open. They were staring at each other, as if they were each silently trying to convince the others to speak first.  
  
"What's going on? How come Zoe." Harlen looked dubious. An idea was beginning to take shape in his mind.  
  
"So that Zoe cheated on Kouji isn't it?" Harlen thought.  
  
Kouji felt the colours drained out from his face.  
  
"I told you she's no good!" Takuya said, folding his arms across his chest.  
  
"Knock it off!" Kouji shouted thunderously, he brought his fist down on the table, making everyone jumped a little.  
  
Kouji's chair let out a fierce shriek as he push it back, he walked away angrily, leaving everyone in the table stunned in silence.  
  
"What was that?" Michael asked finally.  
  
Takuya gulped then he replied. "No idea!"  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
"I.. got to go, bye!" Zoe sauntered off.  
  
Kouichi placed his hand gently on his cheek where Zoe had kissed him, his heart started to race faster and faster every seconds.  
  
"Wow!" Kouichi murmured to himself. "That was unexpected, what was that for?"  
  
Saturday night (2:30 p.m.):  
  
Zoe walked up to Marilyn, holding up two dresses. "Which one should I wear?" Zoe asked.  
  
Marilyn studied the two dresses Zoe was holding up. In her left hand was a pink slip dress and in the right one was a midnight blue sheath with a long white velvet scarf.  
  
"The dark blue one, definitely." Marilyn replied.  
  
"Great!" Zoe said. "I've got everything under control, this night will be perfect!"  
  
"Perfect enough that you'll kiss him under the moonlight?" Marilyn smirked.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Zoe batted her eyelashes innocently. "We're just friends!"  
  
"Oh really?" Marilyn's eyes glared at Zoe. "Than can you tell you tell me why you hugged him and kissed him yesterday in the cafeteria?"  
  
"That's what friends always do isn't it?" Zoe protested, knowing the fact that her cheeks are burning.  
  
"Uh-huh?" Marilyn said, she looked dubious about it.  
  
Then the phone rang.  
  
"I'll get it!" Zoe replied anxiously, placing the two dresse onto her bed, she uickly picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?" Zoe answered.  
  
"Oh hi Kouichi!" Zoe's voice became softer, and then she started to blush.  
  
"Okay alright. I'll be down there in five minutes, bye!" Zoe put the phone back to the cradle and secretly smiled to herself.  
  
"Have fun you two!" Marilyn giggled, then she made some kissing noises to Zoe.  
  
Then Zoe rolled her eyes.  
  
Fifteen minutes later.  
  
Zoe was in Kouichi's black convertible. They were both speechless. Zoe stole a quick glance at Kouichi and started to talk to him. "So.where are we going?"  
  
Zoe's soft voice made Kouichi feel warm all over. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.  
  
"Um.to the park." He replied.  
  
Zoe pressed a button and the classic music started pouring through the speaker, so she turned the knob to find a better channel.  
  
"Don't you know that I want to be more than just you friend."Another slow music started to come. As soon as they both heard the words in the music, they reached their hands to turn the knob, but realized that they touched each other's hand. So they both snapped away their hands and let the music go on.  
  
"Don't you know that I want to be more than just your friend? Holding hands is fine but I've got something on my mind. You know it could happen if you want to set it in a different mind. Baby when we finally get together, you will see that I was right. Say you love me, I'll be yours and you be mine."  
Both of them started to blush really badly as they heard those words in the music.  
  
Kouichi's hands were almost too sweaty to maintain a grip on the steering wheel. And Zoe was looking out in the window, letting the cool, freezing wind stroke past her face to cool herself down from the blushing. Then she forced herself to push away the thought out of her mind.  
  
"Zoe Orimoto, Kouichi is only your friend!" A voice popped up into her mind. "You two are not in love!"  
  
"No, we're not in love!" Zoe thought.  
  
"But why are you blushing right now?" Another voice came up. "And why did you kissed him?"  
  
"Oh this is such a chaos!" Zoe thought again.  
  
Kouichi looked over to Zoe as he drove under the streetlamps, the light growing and dimming in a steady, noiseless pattern. His heart started to beat louder and an emotion cam up to his throat, making him swallowed back. Then he trained his eyes back onto the road.  
  
Ten minutes of silence.  
  
"We're here!" Kouichi announced. "How come the meteor shower is not here yet? It's almost three now." Zoe asked as she steeped out from Kouichi's car.  
  
"I guess we have to wait." He replied.  
  
Five minutes later.  
  
Kouichi and Zoe are sitting on the bench.  
  
"I'm sorry about what happen in the car." Kouichi blurted out.  
  
"No. It's not your fault," Zoe shook her head. "I guess everything just got blown out of proportion here."  
  
"I guess you're right." Kouichi planted his hands onto his thighs. "I know there won't be anything happen to us because you already got Kouji in your heart."  
  
"What made you say that?" Her eyes flicked to him, under her intense stare, she bit her lips. "You're wrong!"  
  
A wave of emotions -hope, fear, dread-rushed through Kouichi's head, making him feeling light-headed. He locked his level gaze on Zoe.  
  
"There's something about you that I just."Zoe suddenly felt the muscles in her jaw tensed. She felt her mouth opening and closing, but she knew that no sound was coming out. Then she cast a nervous glance at Kouichi, she dropped her eyesight down to the ground and started to blush.  
  
Kouichi felt almost detached from reality, as if he was an actor in a play, except he doesn't know the lines in the play.  
  
"Zoe, I.I wanted to tell you something for a long time.I." Kouichi couldn't continue anymore. He felt something had just drained all the blood out from his head, making him feeling dizzy.  
  
Kouichi's answer caught Zoe off guard. She looked straight at him and he felt his heart started to race crazily. The moon glowed in her hair, lighting up her face. Her skin was the colour of sand, her eyes were luminous and hypnotic.  
  
Kouichi listened to the sound of the blood rushing in his ears as he looked at Zoe.  
  
Zoe held up her white velvet scarf across her eyes and peered up at the moonlight. Her hair felt straight and sleek almost to her waist. Her eyes were almond shaped and in the pale light looked like clear glass. Then she threw the scarf into the air, and they both watched it flutter downward.  
  
"She's beautiful!" Kouichi thought.  
  
"Zoe, I."Kouichi stopped when he saw Zoe was looking at him with her bright emerald eyes. Those pairs of eyes, melted his heart like flame, making the heat crept all over his body.  
  
A mysterious tension brought them closer and closer to each other. Kouichi ran his fingers onto Zoe's and laced them tightly onto her hand, and then he used the other on of his hand to tangle into her golden blond hair.  
  
Zoe leaned forward onto Kouichi, wrapping his hands onto his neck. She suddenly felt the urge to bring her lips to him. His dark eyes sparkled, then he parted his lips, drawing it closer and closer to her every second.  
  
"Kouichi stop it right now! She's Kouji's girl!" A voice came into Kouichi's head. But Kouichi couldn't control himself any longer.  
  
"Zoe stop it now! You'll hurt Kouji!" A voice got into Zoe mind. But Zoe disobeyed it, she shifted her whole body into Kouichi's.  
  
"Oh my gosh! It's the meteor shower!" Zoe exclaimed happily just before their lips touched each other. Then they both looked up to the sky.  
  
Twenty minutes later.  
  
Zoe felt a bit tire, she gently shut her eyelids. Then she dropped her head on Kouichi's shoulder and she fell asleep.  
  
Kouichi was surprised by her action, a slight blush appeared on his cheek. He looked down at her and smiled.  
  
"Time for you to go home then." Kouichi whispered to her. Then he secretly planted a quick kiss on Zoe's forehead. "Sweet dream, Zoe."  
  
Monday (in the cafeteria):  
  
Kouji and Kouichi were sitting in the table across from each other, without talking or looking at each. They haven't even been smiling all day.  
  
Takuya, Michael and Hralen were looking at then silently.  
  
"I think they're mad at each other." Harlen whispered to Takuya and Michael. "Definitely!" Takuya agreed.  
  
"I can't believe they're mad at each other just for a girl." Michael frowned.  
  
Suddenly Kouji stood up and startled everyone's attention.  
  
"Kouichi, we've got to talk." Kouji told Kouichi with his sullen voice. He looked really serious.  
  
Kouichi gulped and nodded, then he followed Kouji out of the cafeteria.  
  
"I hope they won't do anything stupid!" Takuya said.  
  
"Me too!" Michael nodded.  
  
In the washroom:  
  
"So what do you want to talk about?" Kouichi asked.  
  
"It's about..Zoe!" Kouji replied slowly. He tugged his hand into his pocket and looked down at the floor.  
  
Kouichi suddenly felt blood rushing into his head, his heart was beating.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ouch! Friendship break. Don't look at me now! Hurry up and go to the next chapter and see how this dilemma is going to end? Well, toon in next time! 


	10. Kouji's Surpirse

Hi people! Sorry I haven't update for a while, because I have a cell project to do! And I'm kinda busy with my work these days. So please forgive me.  
  
Here's a little summary about last episode: Zoe kissed Kouichi's cheek in the cafeteria because Kouichi agreed to see the meteor shower with her. Kouji reacted with anger and sorrow when he saw Zoe kissing Kouichi. Meanwhile, Kouichi and Zoe's feeling for each other started to grow into love. Everything started to get bad when Kouji wanted to talk to Kouichi privately about no other than Zoe..  
  
Well, maybe you guys are anxious to find out about the rest of the conversation right now isn't it? You might think this will lead to a triangular love or a friendship break, well, I can't tell you if you guys are right or wrong yet, just read the story and find out!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
In the washroom:  
  
"So what do you want to talk about?" Kouichi asled.  
  
"It's about, Zoe,"Kouji replied slowly, his eyes were glue to the ground.  
  
Kouichi suddenly felt blood rushing into his head; his heart was beating crazily.  
  
"I know that we both, well, have a thing for her." He continued, instinctively, he looked up to Kouichi, expecting him to be shock, but he wasn't.  
  
"Why are you making us sound like we're fighting over for a girl?" Kouichi asked warily.  
  
"Well, I.." Kouji was trying to struggle out the words, but he knew no sounds were coming out.  
  
Look," Kouichi said, fighting to keep the edge out of his voice. "Zoe and I are only friends. There is nothing going on between us."  
  
Kouji's eyebrow shot up, he stared blankly into Kouichi's eyes.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not the guy that she wants," Kouichi reasoned, turning his piercing dark gaze on him. "You are."  
  
Kouji felt relief started to seep over him.  
  
Kouichi wasn't sure how to put his doubts about his relationships with Zoe into words. He was feeling blinded by the feeling. Even though he knew he loves Zoe, he doesn't want to hurt Kouji. Then slowly, he placed his hand onto Kouji's shoulder, and his mouth got twisted into a strange smile, but his eyes were still edged with a quiet sadness.  
  
Kouji forced a weak grin at Kouichi. "Thanks Kouichi."  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.  
  
My birthday is coming up! Good thing I've got everything under control. Since I'm in America right now, I can't go home and have a birthday party. But the good news is, my good friend Kevin Chen owns a restaurant near by. And he said that he'll close his restaurant that night and my friends and I can have a party in there. The best part is, Kevin said that he is going to serve all the food in his restaurant for my party, yah! Too bad Kouji said that he couldn't make it. I really want him to come!  
  
Kouji's P.O.V.  
  
Zoe just don't know what's she's in for right now. *Made an evil grin* I'm one hundred percent guarantee that this birthday will be the best birthday she'll ever have. Because she's totally in for my "Secret Tresure Hunt Srprise" He he he!  
  
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Well that was short eh? But don't go yet, there're still another chapter, and just to give u a hint, this is so gonna be romantic....lol! 


	11. What's Kouji up to?

Hey people! Finally found some times to continue my story! I think my head's going to explode from all the ideas that I have on my mind. I really want to continue this story! Because it's going to get even more romantic from now on..heheheh  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.  
  
What am I doing? I'd promised myself not to be with Zoe! What happen! Why?  
  
The night of the party:  
  
Marilyn and Chris' boyfriend were dancing on the dance floor with Zoe's classmates, while Zoe, Chris,and Kouichi are having some drink.  
  
"Too bad Kouji's not here today." Zoe said with a gloomy conviction.  
  
Kouichi's stomach turned. He knew exactly about Zoe's feeling towards Kouji, but despite the sundry confidential thought, he didn't know just what feeling Zoe had had for him.  
  
Zoe immediately sneaked a sideway glance at Kouichi who sat beside her. Then she felt a slight disappointment when she saw him fidgeting with his drinking straw in his orange soda instead of paying attention to her. She looked away from him as if she wanted to hide her disappointment, but then, her cell phone started to ring.  
  
"Hello?" Zoe answered.  
  
"Hey Zoe! It's me! Kouji!" Kouji said.  
  
"Hi Kouji!" Zoe's voice became happier than before. Purposely to make Kouichi jealous.  
  
Kouichi felt his heart droped. Hearing Zoe calling out Kouji's name was too subtle for him. But he forced himself to hide jis feeling.  
  
"I've got a treasure hunting game for you, but first, you have to find the instruction menu for this game." Kouji insinuated slyly.  
  
"Where to find it?"Zoe asked with confusions.  
  
"You can say it's from a magical sea creature." Kouji said. "Good luck and good bye!"  
  
Then he hung up.  
  
"Hello? Hello?" Zoe repeated, as if she hadn't heard his remark.  
  
Zoe wasn't sure what he's up to right now. But she knew that sh's going to play this game.  
  
"Kevin, do you have any sea creatures in this restaurant?" Zoe asked Kevin who had just walked by.  
  
Kevin racked his head for some memories. "Well, there're some fishes in the kitchen, but they're still alive."  
  
In the kitchen:  
  
Zoe was looking at the fishes that are swimming gracefully in the fish tank.  
  
"The instruction menu is in the sea creature?" Zoe wondered. " Don't tell me that I have cut open their stomach to get it!"  
  
"Hey Zoe, look what I've found!" Marilyn rushed into the kitchen holding up a picture frame with a picture of a mermaid in it. "Isn't it beautiful?"  
  
"Where did you found it?" Zoe inquired.  
  
"Um, in your locker." Marilyn tried to sound as nonchalant as possible.  
  
"Hey! How did you know my locker combo (combination)?" Zoe mustered some indignation.  
  
"Well, got to go!" Marilyn dashed out of the kitchen, but accident;y triped and fell down on to the slippery marble floor.  
  
*Crash* the picture frame shattered into pieces.  
  
"Uh-Oh!" Marilyn gulped as she got up. "Sorry Zoe!"  
  
"No, it's okay." Zoe shook her head. "This picture doesn't even belong to me."  
  
"Well, at least the picture inside it is still in good shape." Marilyn picked up the picture. "Mermaids are definitely the most beautiful sea creature in the world, don't you think?"  
  
Zoe's emerald eyes suddenly lit up.  
  
"Did you judt said, sea creature?" Zoe asked.  
  
Marilyn shrugged. "So?"  
  
Zoe grasped the picture against her chest and gave Marilyn a big hug. "Marilyn, you are a genius!" Zoe exclaimed happily and then she dashed out og the kitchen.  
  
"Huh?" Marilyn wondered.  
  
Meanwhile....  
  
Zoe flipped over the picture and found Kouji's hand written words all over the blank side.  
  
"Congratulation Zoe! You've found the instruction menu. Now all you have to do is to find clues that will lead you to find some pieces of puzzles. The puzzle will tell you where the hidden treasure is. There'll be three clues that you have to find.  
  
Here's the first one:  
  
It's an object, and it has the colour of the bright sun.  
  
I'll tell you the particle theory of this object in point form:  
  
-Its particles are slightly apart from each other -Its particles can slide past each others -Its particles have weak attractive forces -This object has an indefinite shape and volume (depends on the container)  
  
Well, that's it for now! Good luck on finding the clues!"  
  
Zoe placed the picture on the table.  
  
"Ha!" Zoe smirked. "Science happens to be one of my best subject! So he can't trick me! This object must be a liquid. But what kind of liquid do have the colour of the sun?"  
  
"Hey Zoe!" A voice came up from behind Zoe.  
  
She wheeled around and saw Chris, waving frantically to her.  
  
"Chris!" Zoe shouted to the chestnut brown hair girl, and then she walked up to her. "What's up?"  
  
"Hey, nice dress!" Chris said, indicating the gorgeous white cashmere sleeveless turtleneck sweater and black leather skirt that Zoe was wearing.  
  
"Thanks!" Zoe said.  
  
"So, do you want to help me on something?" Chris asked sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah, what?" Zoe replied. "Well, I'm making fruit cocktail drink to enter this contest, but I need someone to test the drink, and help me come up with more ideas. So do you want to help me?" Chris explained.  
  
"Sure, why not!" Zoe agreed since she had nothing to do.  
  
In the kitchen:  
  
Chris was reading out thelist of ingredients they need for the fruit cocktail, while Zoe was checking if they have them.  
  
"Pineapple juice?" Chris read the list out.  
  
"Check." Zoe grabbed a big bottle of Pineapple juice from the refrigerator.  
  
"Lemonade?"  
  
"Check."  
  
"I think we've got everything we needed for the cocktail!" Chris said. "Let's get started!"  
  
Few minutes later...  
  
Chris poured one teaspoon of white crème de cacao, aloe gin, brandy and two teaspoon of cream into the cocktail shaker. Then, she put the lid on and started to shake it, bending all the ingredients together.  
  
"I'll name this drink the Angel's kiss." Chris started to talk.  
  
"How romantic!" Zoe quoted. "Is it for Ellis (Chris's boyfriend)?"  
  
"Well, I guess." Chris blushed, and then she took off the lid and poured the mixture into the cocktail glass cup and handed to Zoe. "Here, try it!"  
  
Zoe took a sip of it.  
  
"Hmmm, it's very good but I think something is missing in the drink." Zoe commended.  
  
"Well then, can you go to the refrigerator and grab me a bottle of orange juice?" Chris pointed to the refrigerator.  
  
When Zoe swung open the refrigerator door, she found three bottles of orange juice with different labels on it.  
  
"Which bottle do you need, there're three bottles!" Zoe shouted to the kitchen counter where Chris was.  
  
"Grab me the one that says Sunlight!" Chris replied. "You know, the one that has a motto that says the colour of the sun."  
  
Suddenly, the sentence stated to play In Zoe's ear over and over again. "The colour of the sun...the colour of the sun...the colour of the sun.."  
  
"That's it!" Zoe exclaimed. "Chris I think I need that bottle, can you get another one?"  
  
"Fine." Chris answered.  
  
Then, Zoe ran up to the sink and twisted the lid of the bottle, and tilted it upside-down, letting the orange juice go into the sink. Unexpectedly, a small little plastic bag came out. Zoe ripped open the bag and found some pieces of the puzzle with a note in it.  
  
"Bingo!" Zoe shrieked, then she unfolded the note and started to read.  
  
"Hey you found it! Now there're two more clues to find.  
  
Here's the second clue:  
  
Find this butterfly, who isn't attracted to flower but to something that is related to birthday."  
  
"Now this is a tricky one!" Zoe murmured.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
If you want to find out what that "butterfly" is. Then toon in next time! And I'll reveal Kouji's big surprise! So don't miss it, it'll be sooooo sweet! ( Bye for now! 


	12. A New Feeling

Hi, it's me again! Sorry I haven't update for a long, long time; I was busy with homework and studying. I really wish that I can just update a chapter every week but that's hard for me to do....soooo sorry!!!!! But hey, I've updated two chapters! I hope you'll like them. By the way, in these two chapters, something very unexpected is gonna happen to Zoe! Just read it and find out!  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.:  
  
It hurts me so immensely to hear her say "Kouji." The truth is, I couldn't forget about her. Moreover blushed and my very first kiss with her back in the cafeteria...how did this all start anyways? Gosh! She's really pretty, and most of all; she brought love into my life. I guess she's special to me, 'cause I couldn't take her off my mind, not even for a second...and that day at the park, we almost kissed. My heart couldn't stop beating, there's this new sensation in me; that brought us closer and closer to each other. The next thing I knew, my chest was hauling with the last ounce of strength within me. I couldn't breathe, yet I felt detached from my reality, as if this was all a delusion. I couldn't see anything within my sight; aside from her...what's gotten into me?  
  
Normal P.O.V.:  
  
An attractive girl with golden brown hair sauntered across the dance floor. Her gorgeous, ingenuous eyes were traveling across the room, enticing every male that she could gather with her beauty. As she sighted Kouichi who was mournfully sitting by himself by the corner table, her eyes flared with desires.  
  
"You must be Kouichi Kimaura, the son of Eriot Kimaura, the president of the biggest toy company in the country. Am I right?" She pulled herself closer tto study his face.  
  
Feeling a bit uncomfortable by her action, he shifted his chair away from her. "Umm, can you please don't get so close to me."  
  
The girl stared at him blankly, then she hatched a brand new idea in her mind. She parted her lips slightly, trying desperately hard to seduce him. "When I want something, I will do anything to get it."  
  
She drew Kouichi's face closer with a snatch from her hand. Although Kouichi fought frantically hard to shove her away, she grabbed his shirt collar and planted a deep, compassionate kiss on him.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Zoe's heart fluttered down into a deep pain of agony as she watched the girl trying to seduce Kouichi. She felt her mouth moving up and down, but she knew that not a single word had come out from her mouth. She clenched her fists with rage and envy. "Kouichi, how could you..." Zoe murmured with ire. "How could you..."  
  
Through the unanticipated realization, Zoe found herself rising up her fingers to graze her burning cheeks. She took a deep inhale through her pounding heart. She suddenly had a vision of the time when Kouichi accidentally brushed his soft lips against hers in the cafeteria. The vision made her catches her breath.  
  
"Th...that was my very first kiss..." Zoe thought, half-resentfully, half- sorrowfully. "No, it couldn't be! It wasn't soft and gentle. Oh...what am I thinking! It was my very first kiss!"  
  
Zoe knew that she and Kouichi are now more than just friends. Nevertheless, she no longer found it satisfying. The rose of love made the blossom of friendship pale and scentless by contrast. In addition, she had again begun to doubt if he had felt anything for her but friendship. She pressed her index finger gently on her lips. "I wish this was all just a crazy dream; a dream that I could just wake up and forget about. Who am I kidding! I meant nothing to him! He deserves to be with someone that can only love him."  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"Kouichi!" The girl yelled out loud. "Kouichi, where are you?"  
  
Kouichi who was hiding in the storage room saw that the girl had walked pass his hiding place without seeing him signed in relieve.  
  
"Good thing I got rid of her." Kouichi thought. "I hope Zoe didn't see this."  
  
In the meantime:  
  
"Come on, hurry up Zoe!" Chris spoke with a tone of excitement while running down the staircase as fast as her legs can carry her. "You've got to see this!"  
  
"What is it?" Zoe inquired Chris doubtfully without showing a bit of curiosity to what Chris is going to show her. "I'm kinda busy and –gasped"  
  
Zoe couldn't believe what she's seeing here with her very eyes. The whole basement was covered with varieties of all kinds of ribbons with different colours.  
  
"It's so pretty, and, and..." Zoe paused.  
  
"And very romantic too." Chris added into Zoe's speech and handed her a pink letter.  
  
"What is it?" Zoe asked while unfolding it.  
  
Chris smirked and said. "You'll see..."  
  
"Hmm..." Zoe stared at Chris doubtfully, and then flicked her eyes to the letter.  
  
"Hey Zoe! It's Kouji! I told Chris to take you here. I hope you'll like it 'cause I spent the whole night decorating it. However, I just want you to know you're your answer to my second question is ribbons. I thought that you'd been having troubles finding it so I will just give you the answer.  
  
P.S. You need to go and ask Chris for your very last clue.  
  
Love, Kouji "  
  
Zoe blushed when she looked at the word "love" in his letter. It suddenly made her feel warm inside.  
  
"Here are the remaining of the puzzle pieces that Koji to me to give you. When you combine all of the then together, it'll show you the secret location of your last clue. "Chris explained.  
  
"So you knew about Kouji's scavengers hunt the whole time. "Zoe questioned.  
  
Chris smiled at her friend and winked. "I guess you can say that."  
  
Few minutes later...  
  
"Huh! What?!?!" Zoe almost shrieked, her jaw unexpectedly flung open and her big, green emerald eyes were wide as a golf ball. "How come there's a picture of Kouichi on the puzzle?"  
  
"Look closely Zoe." Chris insisted. "Kouichi is not the only one on the puzzle."  
  
Zoe quickly calmed herself down and studied closely on the puzzle. "Well, there's a key pointing at Kouichi's watch..HeyThat's it! Maybe Kouichi's watch have something to do with the last clue!"  
  
"Which means that you have to go and get Kouichi to give you the key to the last clue!" Chris said with finality.  
  
"Oh...do I have to do this?" Zoe groaned, and her cheek started to glow with a shade of magenta. Zoe's P.O.V.  
  
Stupid Kouji! Why do you have to pick Kouichi for the last clue! Moaned I thought that if I just concentrate on something else, I'll soon forget about my feelings for him. Now, it seems like there're some things that just keep stopping me from escaping this feeling. I loved him a lot, sometimes, I even thought about giving up Kouichi for him. However, I know that I meant nothing to him, he rather be with that brown hair girl! But you know what, I'm a big girl now, I'm not gonna hide from my reality. I must learn how to face it, and be brave about it.  
  
Kouichi's side of the story:  
  
Kouichi was sitting by himself once again, drinking some cold, bitter Tequila. He never liked them at all, in he's not really good at drinking like Takuya (he can take on fifty big mugs of beers and he can still stand up without falling or throwing up). But something changed his mind tonight, the bitterness of the Tequila brought comforts to him. As a vision of Zoe flashed in his head, he quickly gulped the whole glass of Tequila in his mouth; letting the bitterness to conceal his burden.  
  
"Why do I have to love you so much Zoe?" He thought bitterly.  
  
"Kouichi?" a light voice from the back caught his attention away from his thought. The person gently arranged its soft, tender hand on his shoulder. He quickly wheeled around and caught a sight of Zoe's big, beautiful eyes.  
  
"Kouichi? Are you okay?" Zoe asked  
  
Kouichi on the other hand stared blankly into her face. His dark cerulean eyes quivered with intese as the heat washed uponhis cheeks like waves. "Eh...um...yeah! I'm fine!"  
  
"So umm, "Zoe started, trying to act natural. "Does your watch have something to do with Kouji?"  
  
"What a stupid question!" Zoe thought.  
  
"Actually," Kouichi replied, looking at his watch. "He told me to wear it tonight."  
  
"Really?" Zoe asked. "Can I see it?"  
  
He simply nodded. "Um, yeah sure."  
  
Zoe then strolled over to Kouichi and knelt forward to him so that she can help him take off the watch. But before her fingers can reach the watch, Kouichi unexpectedly grabbed her hand and pull her close to his face. "W..What's wrong?" Zoe inquired sternly. When she looked up, she realized that he was blushing. His deep solemn blue eyes were now as light and luminous as the moon. She couldn't help but stared blankly into his eyes, an unfamiliar feeling unexpectedly swept over them like wind.  
  
"Oh no!" Zoe thought. "He's blushing...and it's all my fault...what am I gonna do...why's it so hot here...and gasped why am I blushing too!"  
  
Zoe quickly snatched her hands away from his. Trying to terminate this tension between them.  
  
"I'm sorry!" They both blurted out at the same time to each other.  
  
Just when they were both too speechless to do anything, a group of people walked by and accidentally knocked over Kouichi. He immediately lost balance and tipped over Zoe, who was in front of him. They didn't start to realize anything until they both opened their eyes and found out that they were holding onto each other by the window. Zoe grabbed onto the curtain for support and found him leaning forward onto her. His face expression was the same as before, only this time, she noticed that his pupils gradually became bigger and bigger.  
  
"I feel like that I'm breathing in the air that he's breathing in." Zoe thought. "I can hear his heart beating. I can't explain this but, I feel like that we can read each other's thoughts and feelings right now...that we've became one person...I couldn't sense my existence or my reality right now...this feeling is totally new...I've never felt it before...no...we're not in love! The only that I'll ever love is Kouji! Err...I must stop this once and for all...for Kouji's sake!"  
  
Zoe then shoved Kouichi off her, sending him flying out onto a table filled with broken glassware. Then she walked over to him and pulled the watch right out of his wrist. Overlooked at Kouichi's arm injuries from her attack, she ran away as fast as she can.  
  
"Sorry Kouichi," Zoe thought while running, tears blurred her vision. "Our love for each other is just impossible. I hope you can understand."  
  
"Zoe, wait!" Kouichi pleaded, trying desperately hard to push himself off the ground through his wound. "Oww!"  
  
He clenched his teeth to resist the pain, then he realized that his blood had suddenly overflowed onto the ground.  
  
"Zoe," Kouichi whispered weakly. "Please don't leave me."  
  
--;; Oooo...that was pretty harsh...bad Zoe! I'll take punish you on the next chapter...just watch me!!! Anyways, please stay tune for the next chapter. It's gonna change Zoe's fate for the rest of her life! She'll start to learn that every actions has its own consequences. In addition, I'll reveal Kouji's big surprise! So, see you then! 


	13. surprise revealed

Okay, I'm no gonna talk that much today. I'll just have to tell you that I'm gonna reveal a part of Kouji's surprise for Zoe. Anyway, please write a review to me if you've read my story, 'cause my sister and I are having this contest to see who gets more reviews. And just to tell you guys....this chapter kinda sucks...well I'll improve it on the next chapter!  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.  
  
There're some bloodstains on the watch, gasped oh no! it must have been Kouichi's. Oh, what have I done! I injured him! I'm not gonna cry...I'm not gonna cry... I'm not gonna cry...I'm not gonna cry. I've made up my mind. When I'm with him, my mind won't stop playing tricks on me, confusing me. It's like I couldn't think straight. I'm not gonna betray both Kouji and Kouichi by having love affairs with both of them at the same time. I've got to make up my mind. And this time, I know that I'm going to make the right decision, because I've decided to choose Kouji.  
  
Chris's P.O.V.  
  
Poor Kouichi, he had suffered so much from this love he'd shared with my best friend Zoe. Looking at him here like this with his blood all over the floor really breaks my heart. I think the one that Zoe should be with is Kouichi. The reason why I supported their love is not because Kouichi is my cousin, it's because I can see that Zoe meant a lot to him. No matter who she decides to choose in the end, I'll always support her decision, like a good friend should.  
  
Normal P.O.V  
  
Zoe ran into the nearby washroom to catch her breath from running. By the time she went in there, the tears that were once in her eyes are all dried up.  
  
"I have to focus on Kouji's little scavenger hunt right now." Zoe thought with a gloomy conviction. "I can't dwell on those silly feelings any more. I will always love Kouji, and only Kouji."  
  
After encouraging herself, Zoe then opened up the watch. Came to her surprise, she found a tiny pink note. She opened it and began to read it.  
  
"If you think this is your last clue, well think again! There's a little map on the back of this note. Use this map to find a shop named Dairy Queen. You have to find an old man there and he'll give an item that'll be useful for you to find your last clue. Good luck!"  
  
"Aww..." Zoe groaned. "Another clue!"  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.  
  
Oww! My arm! It's bleeding really badly! No wonder my face is so pale right now, I've lost too much blood! I really don't blame Zoe for this, I mean; the only one she loved was Kouji, not me. Beside, Kouji already made up his mind to choose Zoe instead of his childhood lover Cecilia. I mean, he loved her ever since he was four years old and he'd never loved any other girls. I wondered what made him change his mind.  
  
Two months ago:  
  
Kouji and Cecilia are in the cyber café, having some momentous conversation.  
  
"So how's your modeling business lately?" He asked. "You've been away for months, and...and I really miss you."  
  
Cecilia flashed her gorgeous smile. "Thanks Kouji. My business is fine."  
  
"I'm glad!" He replied.  
  
"Oh, and by the way..." Cecilia added, handing him a present. "This is your early birthday present."  
  
"Gee, thanks." He answered, looking at the present happily. "Why don't you just give it to me on my birthday?"  
  
Cecilia's grin suddenly flicked into a frown. "I'm afraid that I can't make it to your birthday party."  
  
"Why not?" Kouji questioned with concerns. "Are you going to be away for another business trip?"  
  
"No," She insisted sadly. "Of course not."  
  
"The what's the problem?" He inquired eagerly.  
  
Cecilia ran her tongue onto her lip, and then laced her fingers onto his. "Kouji, Takuya told me that you're in love with a girl right now isn't it?"  
  
"Well, I..." Kouji stammered.  
  
She smiled and decided to encourage him. "I think you've made a great choice, Takuya said that girl's really pretty isn't it?"  
  
"But Cecilia," Kouji urged. "I still can't forget about you!"  
  
"Kouji," Cecilia insisted. "I like you a lot, but it is not that kind of love. You get me?"  
  
Kouji nodded. So she continued. "Kouji, I'm ten years older than you, and I've been friends with you, Kouichi, Takuya even though he's my half- brother, Michael, and Harlen ever since you guys were four years old. I've treated every single one of you like my little brothers. I guess what really bond us together was our parents' money."  
  
"Yeah." He agreed.  
  
"Anyways," She went on. "No matter what happen, I'll always be your friend and –"  
  
"You should know that I loved you ever since the first time I met you right?" He interrupted.  
  
"Yes, I know." She retorted nonchalantly. "Which is which I have to tell you this."  
  
Kouji fixed his eyes on her extremely beautiful face. So then she started. "Kouji, I'm getting marry soon."  
  
The news startled Kouji so bad that he almost choked.  
  
"The reason why I won't make it to your birthday party tomorrow is because I have to take wedding pictures with my fiancé, Scott." She reasoned.  
  
"I thought you loved me, didn't you." He asked.  
  
"Kouji," She answered. "I only liked you as a good friend. Beside, the one you should be with is not me, it's that girl. I'm sure you loved her with all of your heart right?"  
  
"Yes... I do." Kouji consented gloomily.  
  
"To tell you the truth, "She said. "Out of all five of you, you're the smartest and kindest one. I still remember that you are so popular with the girls in the school that your locker is filled with love letters everyday!"  
  
He said nothing but nodded.  
  
"So promise me, "She smiled. "Promise me that you'll treat that girl like a treasure. I'm sure she's very lucky to be with you."  
  
He beamed. "I will, I promise."  
  
She smiled back. "That's the Kouji I know!"  
  
At the Dairy Queen:  
  
"Excuse me, sir." Zoe walked up to the old man.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked rudely.  
  
"Hi, my name's Zoe." She introduced herself.  
  
"Zoe? What a weird name!" He criticized. "You're the girl that young master told me about right?"  
  
Figuring that this old man must be one of Koujji's servant or something, she nodded.  
  
"Well you're gonna need a key from me to get to the last clue." He said. "Unfortunately, I'm not gonna give you that key until you give my bird here something."  
  
"What!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Well, here's a little note that young master told me to give you." He handed her a blue note.  
  
"Wow Zoe, you're getting closer and closer to the last clue. By the way, this is Takuya's butler. In order for him to give you the key, you have to bring him something for his bird. To find out what the bird needs, you have to gather up all of the clues (Mermaid, Orange juice, Ribbon, and Watch). Now, take all the letters that begins in each words. Then, you'll have M, O, R, and W. You have to unscramble the letters into a word and you'll find out what the bird needs."  
  
"Hmm..M, O, R , and W..." Zoe thought. "romw, no, omwr, no, oh I got it! WORM...eww, where am I gonna get that...."  
  
Zoe's P.O.V.  
  
Thank God that there's a store nearby that sells fishing baits, so I just bought a worm there and gave it to that old man's bird. He was very pleased, so he gave me the key and told me to go to the beach to search for this tresure chest, which is where I am now. I wonder what will happen next, am I gonna find Kouji here?  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.  
  
Okay, I know that it's very wrong of me to spy on her like this, but I just want to make sure that she's all right. I mean, it's dark outside, and she's going to these strange places all by herself. I'm just worried about her, that's all. I don't want her to get kidnapped or killed by some maniacs on the street. I wonder what she's doing with Takuya's butler back in the Dairy Queen. Moreover, why is she in the beach right now?  
  
Normal P.O.V.  
  
Zoe knelt in front of the little treasure chest that she just found on the little boat. She looked at the key that Takuya's butler gave her, and decided to slot it into the treasure chest.When Zoe opened the treasure chest, she found a whistle and some kind of a remote control inside it. "Huh? What are these things for, and...ahhh!" Everything within her sight suddenly went pitch black, she knew that someone must have covered her eyes with a blindfold or something.  
  
"Help!" She screamed from the top of her lung. "Help!"  
  
Kouichi's P.O.V.  
  
Oh no! Zoe's in trouble, I have to go and save her! Wait a second, isn't that Kouji?  
  
Normal P.O.V.  
  
"It's okay Zoe," Kouji reassured her by embracing his arms around her. "It's me, Kouji!"  
  
"Kouji?" She murmured quietly.  
  
"Yeah." He said. "Come on, take my hand, and follow me."  
  
Zoe blushed, for this is the first time Kouji hold her hand. She suddenly had a premonition that this night will be one of the most memorable nights of her life.  
  
"I'm taking you to my own personal private beach right now." He declared haughtily. "I'm sure you'll love it, it's really beautiful."  
  
Zoe blushed and nodded.  
  
Kouji then took her into his silver Porsche, and drove off. Kouichi then went into his brand new black mustang and secretly followed Kouji's car.  
  
Well, on the next chapter, I'll reveal Kouji's surprise for Zoe. In addition, it seems like Kouji's surprise won't be the only thing that will shock her. Kouichi will do something that will change Zoe's life forever...if you are very eager to find out, well then, tune in next time! I promise you that the next chapter will be better, unlike this one. Anyways, it'll be REALLY long, just to tell you. Well, see you later and please continue to read my story and review it! 


	14. It's too late

Hey guys! It's me again. Okay, let's just get this over with; this is the third chapter that I'm updating for this summer. I hope you people will like it, even though it's kinda boring. However, there is Kozumi evidence.  
  
At Kouji's private beach:  
  
Kouji untied the blindfold that was placed on Zoe's eyes. When she slowly opened her eyes, the very first thing she caught her eyes on was the beauty of the surroundings. The sea was roaring hollowly from distance, it was nothing but blue; not the changeful of spring, not the pale azure of summer, but a clear, steadfast, serene blue, as if the water were past all moods and tenses of emotions and had settled to a tranquility of the of unbroken by fickle dreams. She was drinking deep of the enchantment of the dusk.  
  
"It's so pretty here!" She quoted gently.  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Kouji said with satisfactory." By the way, do you still have the whistle and the remote control?"  
  
She pulled those two items out from her pocket and smiled "Of course!"  
  
"Good, now give it to me." He concluded flatly.  
  
So she gave them to him. He first placed the whistle on his lips and blew it. The next thing Zoe knew, seven swans flew out of nowhere carrying all different colours of roses with their beaks. The one in the middle went up to Zoe and handed her a bouquet of red roses. It then gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Aww," Zoe exclaimed with astonishment. "How did you get them to do that?"  
  
He chuckled, and then he said at last. "Oh, they can do more than you think, just keep watching."  
  
Afterward, the other six swans flew above the water surface and constructed a big heart-shape onto the water with the roses that they were carrying.  
  
"It's so beautiful!" It was the only phrase that can leap out from her mind.  
  
Kouji stole a glance a glance at her and beamed, he then took her hand and drew it close to his chest. "Come, follow me. "Therefore, he brought her to the water and into the Heart-shaped roses.  
  
"What are you up to now?" She asked with curiosity.  
  
He grinned and gave her the remote control. "Press that red button right now." "Okay..." She did what he told her and came to her surprise, some tiny glimmering lights shot out from the water and into the night sky. Then, they made a huge exploding sound and brought colourful lights into the dark sky.  
  
"Wow! Amazing!" She signed dreamily.  
  
"Never mind the fireworks just now, Zoe," said Kouji quietly, taking her hands in a clasp from which she couldn't free it. "There's something I want to say to you. That's the reason I brought you here and have you to do this scavenger hunt."  
  
Zoe's heart suddenly skipped a beat. "Yes?"  
  
"Legend said that when a boy confesses his love to the girl he truly loves inside a big heart constructed by all different coulours of the roses," Kouji explained while staring intensely into her eyes. "They'll be blessed to have a boundless yet miraculous love. All different colours of the roses here represented every different feelings we've been through; red for sweet, miraculous love, yellow for regrets, white for agony, pink for friendships, black for betrayal, orange for miracle and so on. No matter how much good times and bad times that they'll be going through in their lives. Nothing in this world can be able to rupture the bond of this love, not even the face of death."  
  
Zoe grinned shyly. "Well, it's just a fairytale."  
  
Her comment didn't exasperate him, instead, he smiled. "Well tonight, I'm going to alter this fairytale into a reality."  
  
Zoe felt that her heart started to beat once more. "Huh?"  
  
"Zoe," Kouji started. "I loved you ever since the first I met you back in that restaurant. You are the one that stole my heart. It was that strange feeling that bound us together. And I believed, within all of my heart, that we're destined to be together. Will you please accept me and be a part of my life?"  
  
"K..Kouji, "She whispered, holding back the tears in her eyes.  
  
Kouji whipped her tears with his hand, then reached into is pocket, and pulled out a red box. He opened and revealed an extremely beautiful diamond necklace." I'll chain your heart with this necklace so you'll be mine forever."  
  
After putting the necklace around her neck, he took a deep inhale. Lacing through her hair with his hands, he closed his eyes. Zoe's eyes glimmered a little and closed them too. He parted his lips, preparing for the moment he had been waiting for. He pulled himself even closer to her than before. Zoe took a deep breath, but before she can exhale it, Kouji tilted his head and drew his lips onto hers. All she can think about now is her very first real kiss. For the first time in her life, she can experience the feeling of being kissed by a loved one, and that feeling that blew her away. Although she'd always thought that having someone's saliva running in your mouth was gross, but something actually changed her mind about it tonight.  
  
Meanwhile..  
  
Kouichi looked at the happy couple from behind the bushes. He quickly pushed his tears away from his eyes with his hands, and smiled.  
  
"Zoe," He thought. "If you're happy, then I should be happy about it too. I lost, but I'm not sad because I know that Kouji is the only one that can bring happiness into her life."  
  
After that, he went back into his black mustang and drove off.  
  
Back to their story:  
  
An image of Kouichi once again floated into Zoe's mind. "Zoe...but I have to go to sleep...we're going to the park...m..my name is Kouichi...that dress makes you look like a prostitude...her I'm sorry on...knock it off you guys...wait...Zoe...I...I...have to tell you something..." All the things that Kouichi had said to her suddenly came to her, defecting her mind.  
  
"Ehhh..." She pushed away Kouji and groaned softly from her headache.  
  
"Kouichi...Kouichi...Kouichi..." she whispered unstoppably, dropping her knees onto the water. "Oww.."  
  
"Zoe, Zoe are you okay?" Kouji asked, his eyes were filled with concerns.  
  
"I'm fine." She responded weakly.  
  
Kouji then brought her up onto his arms which made her blushed. "Come on, I'll drive you back home."  
  
"Thanks." She spoke up weakly.  
  
In the car:  
  
Zoe stole a glance at Kouji, and then she trained her eyes back to the window. She blew a breath on the glass and a fog appeared. Using the tip of her finger, she drew a little heart onto the fog.  
  
She sighed softly, then whispered, "Kouichi, where are you?"  
  
In Zoe's room . . .  
  
Zoe looked at the necklace that Kouji had given her. She peered it through the incandescent light and it looked even more beautiful than before with bright lights shimmering on it.  
  
She remembered what Kouji had told her, "I'll chain your heart with this necklace, so you'll be mine forever."  
  
All of a sudden, fury washed upon her and she threw the necklace on the floor.  
  
"You can chain me up," she muttered under her breath, "but you can never chain my heart."  
  
She then threw herself onto the bed and burst into convulsive tears. "Oh, this is confusing me!"  
  
At Kouichi's mansion . . .  
  
Kouichi was sitting by himself near the fireplace with a cup of coffee in his hand. He watched the fire blazed in front of his very eyes while having some deep thoughts with his love relationships.  
  
"In this triangular love between Zoe, Kouji, and I," he thought deeply. "I'm the third wheel, so I should be the one who should step out of this relationship, but how?"  
  
In Mr. Kimaura's office . . .  
  
Like any other rich, high-classed president of the biggest toy company in the country, Mr. Kimaura is very busy man. Sometimes, he even works overnight to finish his work. And as usual, he's as busy as ever tonight.  
  
"Yes, Yes, Larry!" he said to the person on the phone. "You have to finish that proposal for Mr. Wood by next week and—"  
  
His conversation was interrupted by the knocking sounds on his door. "Yes, come in!"  
  
Kouichi slowly opened the door and popped his head into the room. "Um, hi Dad!"  
  
"Oh hi Kouichi!" Mr. Kimaura spoke in a cheerful tone. "How's my smart, handsome boy doing today?"  
  
"Um, fine I guess." He lied. "Look, I need to talk to you right now. Are you free?"  
  
"Hello Larry?" Mr. Kimaura continued talking to the man. "I'll have to call you back later. In the mean time, get that proposal done. Bye!"  
  
He hung up and looked at his son. "Well, I am now! So what do you want to tell me?  
  
"Well," Kouichi began, "I was wondering if I can take over your place for the business trip to London tomorrow. You know, so you can have more times to work on that proposal with Mr. Olivera."  
  
Mr. Kimaura said nothing but looked at his son doubtfully. "Is it just my imagination, or that wasn't really the real reason why you want to represent me for the trip tomorrow. Hmm?"  
  
"W—Well . . ." Kouichi stammered.  
  
"I can't tell him that I want to take his place tomorrow is because I want to stay away from this relationship with Zoe. So I guess a little lie won't hurt." He thought.  
  
"Well dad," he said, "I thought that maybe going to London will be fun!"  
  
Mr. Kimaura said nothing but stared sternly at his son. "Son, you're not a good liar at all. That was the lamest excuse I've ever hear."  
  
Kouichi gulped nervously, Mr. Kimaura chuckled at his son's expression. "If I'm not mistaken, you're troubled over a girl, right?"  
  
Kouichi said nothing but dropped his eyesight on the ground and flushed. "Well I . . ."  
  
Mr. Kimaura walked over to him and wrapped his hand around his son's shoulders. "I understand," he patted his son's back. "Your old man had already experienced once too, himself."  
  
Kouichi smiled for his father's understanding. "Thanks dad."  
  
Back in his room . . .  
  
"Hey cus!" Chris greeted Kouichi.  
  
He wheeled around from his chair and saw his lovely cousin. "Hey Chris! What are you doing here in my room?"  
  
"Well," she clarified, pushing a bit of her hair behind her ear, "I wanna see if you're okay after what happened back in Kevin's restaurant."  
  
The thought about what happened back in the restaurant filled him with a horrible feeling of dreads. Chris went up to the garbage bin and saw the whole bin was filled with tissues of red, fresh blood. "Oh my gosh! Kouichi, is that from Zoe's attack?"  
  
"I guess I really deserved that," he said sadly. "Tonight, I realized that this wound will hurt even more if I have to see her again."  
  
"Aww, Kouichi, don't say that," Chris gave her cousin a hug. "I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you. My best friend is a very nice girl."  
  
"I know," he responded mournfully, blinking his eyes to get rid of the tears and forced a smile, "which is why I've decided to go to London tomorrow to take care of dad's business. At least I can take my mind off this mess and step out of this triangle love. I'm the one who caused so much pain to her and Kouji. I guess I really don't want to hurt anybody again."  
  
"Are you sure that's what you want?" she asked. "I mean, you still love Zoe, don't you?"  
  
He smiled. "I'm not here to be selfish anymore. If I really love Zoe, then I should let her be happy with Kouji."  
  
"You know something?" Chris said happily. "I thing you've become a good man."  
  
"Gee, thanks," he grinned.  
  
ZOE'S POV. . .  
  
That's it, I'm not gonna stay here and be a cry baby for the rest of my life. Kouichi, I've realized something important tonight. When I was kissing Kouji that time, you're the only one that I can think of in my head. I don't know why, maybe God wants to let me know that you're the one that I should be with. Sure, when I'm with you, everything became a blur to me. As if all my feelings for you are just tiny pieces of puzzles that were waiting for me to put them together. Tonight, I think I've finally done it. I've cried bitterly. I felt as if something in calculably precious had gone out of my life. And it was you! I've realized that I don't know love when I see it. I've tricked something out with my own imagination that I thought it was love, and I expect the real thing to look like that. What I'm saying here is, I need you. You've given a lot of special feelings to me that no one has ever given to me. I feel so comfortable when I'm around you, I can finally be myself again. And you know what, I want to be with you.  
  
Normal P.O.V.  
  
Zoe picked up the phone and dialed Kouichi's cell phone number, hoping that she can confess all her feelings to him. Unfortunately, he was busy and set it to an automatic voice message. "Hi, this is Kouichi Kimaura. I'm terribly sorry that I cannot take your call right now, please leave a message after the beep and I'll call you back as soon as possible.-beep"  
  
"Hi Kouichi," She began. "It's me..."  
  
The next morning:  
  
Kouichi awoke to find raindrops pattering against her window, and the whole world seemed dim and dreary. As he dressed in the cheerless gray sweater, he struggled against the tears that welled up in his eyes in spite of himself. He was leaving the girl that was so dear to him, and something told him that he was leaving her forever.  
  
Few hours later...  
  
The rain had stopped so Zoe decided to go and visit Chris when suddenly Takuya's distinctive bright red jeep passed by and splashed water onto her dress.  
  
"Ahh!" She exclaimed. "My dress!"  
  
Takuya stopped and smirked menacingly. "Well, well, well if it isn't the blondie."  
  
"For the last time Takuya," she said, "Can you just stop calling me a blondie already."  
  
"Well you're lucky today, "He said, "I don't have time to argue with you right now. I've got to go and see Kouichi right now in the airport. I heard that he's leaving to London today for his dad's business trip."  
  
"What!" She suddenly shrieked. "How come he never told me that?"  
  
"Why would he want to tell you everything!" He said rudely. "Moron!"  
  
"Please Takuya," Zoe pleaded. "Can you take me to the airport right now?"  
  
"Well my answer to you is the opposite of yes." He answered haughtily. "Now move it more loose it."  
  
"Please!" This time, hot tears are coming out from her eyes. "I have something very important to tell him!"  
  
Takuya suddenly became shocked by her reaction. It looked exactly like the expression Amelia once had. "How...how come she looked exactly like Amelia when she's crying?" He thought to himself. He moaned and shifted himself to the passenger's seat. "Are you gonna stand her and get juice up for the whole day or are you gonna get in and drive!"  
  
"Oh, thank you so much!" She went in and started to drive at the highest speed.  
  
"Ahh!" Takuya screamed, "Not that fast you damn it. You're gonna wreck my car!"  
  
In he airport:  
  
"We're all gonna miss you buddy!" Harlen remarked.  
  
"Yeah, are you sure about this? I mean, you are gonna come back right?" Kouji asked. "Well, not for a while I'm afraid." Kouichi answered.  
  
"Hey I wonder where's Takuya right now?" Michael wondered.  
  
"Yeah." Chris agreed.  
  
Meanwhile:  
  
Takuya's jeep mae a big screech sound when Zoe tried to stop it after she heard the blaring of the siren.  
  
"Damn it, you're wrecking my precious car!" Takuya hollered at her with the top of his lung.  
  
A police officer went up to the car and knocked at the window. Zoe quickly lowered the car window and flashed a nervous smile. "Umm, hi!"  
  
The police shook his big head disappointedly while scribbling something down on his notepad. "You should know better than driving this fast on a street, doll face." Then he ripped a sheet of paper out from his notepad and handed to Zoe.  
  
"You better look who's inside of this car first before you give her that damn ticket, ya old kook." Takuya warned him arrogantly, folding his arms across his chest as if he's in a bad mood.  
  
"M...M...M...Mr. Kimbara!" The police officer stuttered nervously. "I...I didn't know that you're in the car! I swear!"  
  
"WELL GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME THEN!" He bellowed so thunderous that the car windows started to crack a bit and Zoe was covering her eras frightenly. The police officer quickly ran away and drove off.  
  
"That was pretty harsh!" Zoe complained. "How could you be so mean to that guy!"  
  
He folded his arms over his chest again, leaning down onto his seat. "Just shut your damn trap and drive woman." He muttered through his clenched teeth.  
  
In the airport:  
  
"Plane 48 is about to leave now, please get on board." The speaker announced.  
  
"Well, there's my plane." Kouichi said. "Bye guys!"  
  
"I'll miss you buddy!" Kouji grasped Kouichi tightly.  
  
"Me too!" Chris added, wrapping her arms around both Kouji and Kouichi.  
  
Kouichi looked around the airport once more and frowned in disappointment. "I wish that I can see Zoe one last time." He thought to himself.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Takuya and rushed into the airport as fast as they can.  
  
"This is all your fault airhead!" Takuya groaned while running.  
  
By the time they met up with Chris and the others, they were both out of breath.  
  
"Where's Kouichi?" Both of them asked eagerly.  
  
"He just left." Kouji answered.  
  
"Yeah, it's a shame," Chris agreed. "He just leaft."  
  
"Great!" Takuya yelled at her. "This is all your fault airhead! And he might not even gonna come back again!"  
  
"He...he's not coming back?" Zoe's heart sank at the news. Tears suddenly blurred her vision.  
  
"Hey Zoe, are you okay?" Chris asked. "You looked paled."  
  
The next thing she knew, her chest was heaving up and down like a coiled spring, but no air was reaching her lungs. She let out a choked sob, then pushed away Kouji and Michael out of her way, and ran away as fast as she can.  
  
"Zoe!" Kouji yelled while chasing after her.  
  
Chris looked at Zoe and wondered. "How come Zoe's so upset over Kouichi's leaving. Maybe, just maybe, she did like my cousin!"  
  
Well zoe, every actions has its own consequences. Don't worry; Kouichi will come back not soon but later. Maybe he'll even turn the whole plot upside- down when he comes back wink, wink . Well I hope you like this chapter better than the others. For those of you who think that I'm making Kouichi a very miserable person...well, he's not going to be like that soon. Trust me...lol! See you and please review my story! 


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